You Were Always There: Part Five
by OpenBookLina
Summary: Lord Voldemort has returned, but it seems the wizarding world wants to deny that terrible truth. Dark days are coming, and with a sweetly poisonous, pink toad roaming Hogwarts' halls, the secret organization called the Order of the Phoenix rising once again, and Harry's dreams becoming more life-like, it will take all of Mia's strength and courage to get through her fifth year.
1. Cold Shadows

**Hi there everyone! I'm back, and I am very, very excited because I now present the first chapter of the New Year, as well as the first chapter of the fifth book! I can't believe that I have gotten so far in just a few years, and I have all of you guys to thank for it! I know this chapter is a bit late, as I was hoping to have it posted sometime last month, but I figured better late than never, right? And I tried putting as much focus and heart into this chapter as I could, so I really hope you guys like it, I'm a little nervous about it. As always, if you guys have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to let me know about it, I will gladly read them all. And please, REVIEW! Like I said, I'm a little bit nervous about this chapter, as I'm taking a slightly different approach to it, and I'm hoping you guys like it, but if not, just let me know anyway, and I'll do better to improve for future chapters!**

 **Anyway, here is the first chapter of "You Were Always There: Part Five," so enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter One: Cold Shadows

MPOV

"Mia! Mia, are you even listening?"

Mia Thatcher was snapped to full attention, nearly falling out of her seat in the process as she whipped her head around and stared at the small group of people who were looking at her expectantly. Her wide blue eyes met the inquiring gazes of Cindy Jones, Mary Willows, and other girls from her neighborhood that went to the local secondary school together. They were all settled in casual afternoon wear, the majority of it being designer t-shirts with jean shorts, or tank tops with frilly skirts, due to the extreme heat that Little Whinging was currently experiencing. This particular day was the hottest out of the whole summer, with temperatures reaching to about ninety-seven degrees, bringing along a sweltering thick cloud that settled over the area. Mia herself was wearing a pair of shorts, simple tennis shoes, a mint green t-shirt and a thin, almost silk-like jacket she had bought in the beginning of summer. She was currently a guest in Cindy's house, where her hostess was holding a gathering between all her friends, which were most of the girls in the neighborhood, and Mia was starting to wish she hadn't accepted Cindy's invitation to come over.

It wasn't that she didn't like Cindy, not at all. They had been good friends when they were little, and Mia first came to Little Whinging, but as the years passed, the two girls just grew further apart, and their interests, as well as their own personal experiences, were so vastly different now. Mia had not really spent much time with anyone her age in her neighborhood since she was eleven or twelve, when she started going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, she had made her true and most treasured friends, ones that she knew would always stick by her, and vice versa. Cindy was nice enough, but their relationship, whatever it was, never had the chance to fully blossom, especially after Mia had met her dearest friend, Harry…

Feeling her chest clench a bit, Mia shook her head and gave an apologetic smile to the girls, shifting her position away from the window, where she had been gazing out into the street below, curled up on the ledge, just staring out into the sunset. Cindy's room was a brilliant shade of red, with all kinds of fashionable clothes strung about, department store jewelry on her nightstand, her desk cluttered with new C.D's, and a flower patterned bed set with matching fold out chairs around her desk, where some of the girls were sitting, painting their nails and flipping through teen magazines.

"I'm sorry guys," she said as she adjusted herself. "What were you saying?"

"We were just asking what your school is like," asked a petite blonde girl named Lucy said from her place at the end of Cindy's bed. "The one that you go to during the year. Is it nice there? You never told us the name of it."

"It's nothing too special, to be honest," Mia replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "It has a nice wide open space, but it's just like every other school, really. Same classes, same people, the usual."

"Oh come on Mia, there has to be more than that!" Mary urged, reaching forward to rest her elbows on the mattress. "Are there any cute guys there?"

"Are they athletes?" asked a redhead.

"Do you fancy any of them?" Cindy put in.

"Well, there are a lot of good looking guys there, I guess, and yes, there are athletes," Mia responded, doing her best to keep her answers to their questions as vague as possible. "And no, none of them have really caught my eye."

"I really wish my parents would send me to a boarding school," Lucy sighed. "Sometimes I just can't stand Stonewall High, yours must be so exciting."

"Not lately," Mia mumbled under her breath.

"But I find it hard to believe that there's no one you like, Mia," Mia stated.

"Of course not, not when there someone else catching her attention," Cindy said with a smile.

"What?" said Mia.

"Oh stop playing dumb Mia, everyone here knows you like Harry Potter!"

"What?" gasped half of the girls in the room, their eyes going wide with shock.

"Well, some of us, anyway," Cindy corrected.

"You like Harry Potter?" Mary demanded.

"But he's a criminal! He goes to that special school for boys like him!" Lucy gawked.

"He is not a criminal," Mia said firmly, her eyebrows furrowing. "He's anything but."

"But why would his aunt and uncle send him there if he wasn't dangerous?" the redhead asked. "Even Dudley says so, he's violent and unpredictable."

"The only thing that comes out of Dudley Dursley's mouth is nasty dung and lies," Mia stated, swinging her legs around so they were planted on the floor, a frown on her face. "And I don't like Harry, not in that way—we're just friends."

"You two seem awfully close for people who are just friends," Mary pointed out with a smirk. "Even your cheeks are a bit red."

"No they're not," Mia argued, even though she could feel the pinch in her skin. "He's my best friend, and that's it, nothing more."

"Then where has he been lately? Why haven't you two been hanging out with each other?" Cindy said, placing her magazine down in her lap.

"He's—he's been busy."

"Not lately," Mary countered, shaking her head. "I've seen him a lot recently, just wandering around the streets, it's weird. Did you guys have a fight?"

"No," Mia replied softly. "Not really, the end of last term was a little tough for us, that's all."

"I thought you two went to separate schools, though?" Mary asked.

"We do, we just send letters to each other all the time," Mia answered.

"I really don't get how you can stay friends with someone like that Mia, much less like them," Cindy said to her. It wasn't in a mean way exactly, Mia could tell that Cindy was just voicing her thoughts, more cautious than the others have. "He's a bit of a loner, I think the only friend he's ever had was you. People who isolate themselves like that…well, it can cause some disturbing behavior."

"The only reason Harry never had friends was because of Dudley and his thugs, you know that," Mia said. "I was the only one who stood up for him."

"And that's great and all Mia, but you have to admit, there's something not right about him," Mary put in.

"So what if he's a little strange? As far as I'm concerned we're all a bit strange in some way," Mia said. "Look Harry has had it tough, more than most people would ever understand, and it doesn't help that rumors and gossip spreads around about him, especially when he can't even defend himself."

We know how much you care for him Mia, we're not saying that's a bad thing," Cindy said. "But if you care so much, then why has he been ignoring you?"

Mia fell silent at that, locking her jaw tight as her fingers curled on her knees. She knew the answer to this question, but how can she possibly hope to explain it to these girls without completely giving away the life that she lived? The life that she lived in a world that, to them, was nothing but fairytales? Mia wanted nothing more than to confide in someone her sorrows, worry and frustration, but the one person she could always do that with hasn't looked her properly in the eye for weeks now. Taking a deep breath, Mia sighed as her fingers loosened on her knees and she stood to her feet.

"I should probably go," she muttered.

"You don't have to go, Mia," Cindy objected, guilt creeping into her expression. "We didn't mean to make you upset—"

"It's fine, Cindy," Mia assured her with a tiny smile. "I'm the one who's ruining your fun here. There's just a lot on my mind right now, and I don't want to be the kill-joy of the party. I really appreciate you inviting me over, I did have a good time. I'll see you guys around, okay?"

Despite their pleads for her to stay, Mia insisted that she take her leave, suddenly feeling very compressed in the spacious bedroom. She gave both Cindy and Mary brisk hugs and waved to the others as she made her way out of the room, down the stairs and through the front door, out into the quickly settling night. Once she stepped out of the loving embrace of the air conditioned house, Mia was instantly struck down with the blazing heat that was drifting through Little Whinging, even though the sun was almost through with its decent over the hills. She could feel the irritation and sweat start to form by the nape of her neck, but she ignored it as she started walking down the street, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket. She knew it was too hot even for the silk-like material, but it was the only way she could go out with her wand, which was safely tucked away in the waistline of her shorts, underneath her t-shirt, the outline of it hidden by the jacket. After everything that had happened last month, there was no way she was setting foot out of her house without some form of protection.

As she walked, Mia's mind became abuzz as she thought about all the things that have happened since her return home to Privet Drive, as well as the party she had just walked out on. Yes, she and Cindy no longer had things in common, and they lived such different lives it was hard to see a close friendship starting, especially in these times. Although, Mia wasn't sure she wanted to start a close friendship anyway. The only reason she accepted Cindy's invitation in the first place was because she was feeling down and—to be honest—lonely. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Cindy and the other girls were right…Harry has been ignoring her.

Ever since the start of the summer holidays, it was as if a dark shadow had settled over Harry, and it was with good reason too. A good friend and fellow schoolmate was murdered right before his very eyes, and then he was forced to duel the man who orchestrated all of it. On top of that he had to deal with the jeers and mockery of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, helpless and alone in a terrifying situation. What really set Mia on edge was how Voldemort had spoken of the night he met his downfall, on Halloween nearly fourteen years ago. He described how he came upon Harry's home in Godric's Hollow, how he had killed James Potter first, after he yelled for his wife to take their son and run. But Lily Potter did not get away—Voldemort told her to move to the side, but she did not, begging him to kill her instead and spare her only son. Her pleas fell on deaf ears and she had been the next victim of the Dark Lord. Yet when he turned his wand on Harry and spoke the killing curse, it reflected right off of Harry and back onto himself, destroying his body and power, forcing him to flee and leaving Harry with nothing but a scar on his forehead as a reminder of what had happened. The idea of Voldemort recounting this tale as if it were nothing, as a means of torturing Harry, made Mia so angry she wanted to kick something. Speaking of how you murdered a couple right in front of their own son…that was sick and a level of evil that Mia didn't think could exist.

It had done something to Harry, and Mia could see it even before they came back home. His eyes held something in them that wasn't there before, a sort of dark haunted look that he kept well hidden at the best of times. They were no longer fully pure or innocent as they had been in the past, but Mia knew that after having an experience like that, what else could she possibly expect? The only thing was, not too long after they arrived back to Privet Drive, Harry started acting distant towards her. He was a little more quiet than usual and, unlike that one night at Hogwarts when he was so open about his grief and what had happened in that graveyard, now he was silent, avoiding the subject like the plague. They tried going back to their usual summer routine, just spending time together at the park they had claimed as their own, having lunch at her house, spinning Brian around on the tire swing in the backyard, and even using the sprinkler when the weather started becoming blistering hot. But no matter how much fun they tried to make it, they knew nothing was the same, and that they would never be the same again. Along with trying to return things to normal during the day, every night Mia would sit in the living room watching the news on the television, listening in for any reports about missing people, mysterious murders or unnatural, unexplainable disasters, anything that would give an Intel on Voldemort's return, or what he was up to.

But there was nothing. Not one single strange or weird report of the sort came through the Muggle news, on any station for the past month and it threw Mia for a loop. Voldemort, the most feared wizard of all time was back, and there was no sign of tragic disaster or random disappearances. What was that about? What was Voldemort up to?

Mia and Harry expressed their common concerns at first, but as the days passed by, Mia started seeing Harry less and less. He would say that his relatives were keeping a close eye on him and didn't want him out too much, which was believable, but Mia had a feeling that something was off. He suddenly tended to not be home when she called, and whenever she tried getting his attention through the window, the curtains were always drawn. One day she spotted him walking through the streets, and when she went up to him to ask what was wrong, it was as if he immediately shut himself off, shrinking back into himself and avoiding her stare. From his vague answers to her questions, Mia realized that Harry wanted to be left alone—he was just too polite to say so. She hated the fact that he was withdrawing himself from her, it even hurt her a little knowing that he was pushing her away at a time where he shouldn't be alone, but there was nothing she could do. The harder she tried, the father away he would go, and she didn't want to make things worse than what they were. After letting him know that she was there for him when he needed her, Mia dejectedly walked away, her sorrow consuming her.

In her time spent alone, Mia would write to her other two best friends in the wizarding world, Ron Wealsey and Hermione Granger. She wrote to them of her concerns for Harry, the way he has been avoiding her like the plague, and asked if there was any news on what was going on in their world that she might have missed. Strangely, their answers were always very vague, and they told her in their letters that they could not tell her too much of what was going in, in case their letters got intercepted, and that they promised to fill her in when she saw them again. While their letters were annoyingly frustrating at times, they also brought her comfort, knowing that she still had friends willing to talk to her. She had even written a couple letters to Sirius Black, Harry's fugitive godfather.

" _I know this must be painfully frustrating for you both, not knowing what's going on,"_ he had written to her. _"But things will turn out okay soon. Hopefully if things go according to plan we can work on getting Harry out of there, and you too if you'd like to come along, which I know you do. Don't worry Mia, he's just going through a lot right now, he'll come around soon. Don't take it to heart, he still needs you, he probably thinks being alone is what's best right now."_

Despite the comfort the letters brought, it didn't do too much to help. It had been awfully lonely without Harry, and the situation did get worse only a week later. Mia's parents had been curious as to why she was so interested in the news, and being friends with the Weasleys, they knew that something wasn't right. They knew about Cedric's passing, but most likely not how it happened and what had transpired after. Mia had no choice, sifting under her parent's suspecting gaze, and she ended up telling them what had happened. How Cedric was killed, and that the very wizard who killed Harry parents was back. To say they were shocked would be a severe understatement—Catherine looked very close to fainting and a hard gleam passed through Ben's eyes. Mia didn't go into too much detail about what exactly this means, since she honestly didn't know herself, but she gave them the basic rundown of how serious it was, and that there was a very strong possibility that whatever came ahead would hit very close to home. The conversation after that was a very long, very serious one, and it made the night seem to drag on. When Ben hinted at the thought of them moving, Mia instantly and angrily objected.

"What do you mean move?" she had said. "We can't leave."

"Mia, what you're talking about is very dangerous," Ben said, his eyes narrowing in a way that made a little voice inside her head tell her to watch it. "I know we're not wizards here, but if what you say is true then that means we could be at risk, just from the fact that we know Harry."

"Are you saying it's his fault?!" Mia ground out.

"We're saying nothing of the kind, and don't you use that tone with your father," Catherine scolded. "All we're saying is that we need to consider our options."

"We shouldn't be considering anything," Mia argued. "Harry needs us, we can't just up and leave him alone."

"I'm not putting my family at risk either," Ben said, his voice rising with authority. "And whether we decide to leave or not is not up to you, Mia. You're mother and I need to talk and see what's best for all of us."

"Voldemort will find us if he wants us," Mia said. "We need to stay here, where we have friends who can protect us! I don't _want_ to leave! I won't!"

"You'll do as we say," Ben countered firmly.

"I won't leave him behind," Mia said, her face reddening. "I thought you guys cared for him—it's obvious I was wrong."

"Amelia!" Catherine exclaimed, but Mia was already storming up to her room.

Mia had already regretted fighting with her parents by the time dinner was done that night, but she was still too upset to go downstairs. The thought of leaving her home, Harry, her friends, school, everything she had grown to love…she couldn't bare it. This was who she is, she wasn't going to give it all up and run away. She couldn't.

A frustrated sigh blew through her nostrils and she shook her head, wanting to rid her mind of all these melancholy thoughts. Night had finally descended upon Little Whinging, for how long, she couldn't tell because she had been so lost in her thoughts, her feet moving of their own accord. Looking around, Mia saw that she was only a couple streets away from Magnolia Road, and she sighed once again. She should probably start to head home before her mother calls the entire police department for a search and rescue mission. Drawing her arms closer to her thin frame, Mia turned around the next corner, intending on using a shortcut through Magnolia Crescent. As she walked, she could hear sudden voices not too far away from where she stood, shouting and yelling at each other, causing her to pause in her movements, startled.

"Point that thing somewhere else!"

"I said, _do you understand me?_ "

What the…was that Harry? And Dudley? What were they doing out and about at this time of night? And what in God's name were they screaming at each other for? Wanting to know what was going on, Mia followed their voices, trying to pinpoint exactly where they were.

 _"Point it somewhere else!"_

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

"Harry?" Mia called out, worry starting to creep into her voice as she looked in between the houses, seeing if Harry and his cousin were lurking in any of their shadows.

"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM—"

Dudley's voice was suddenly and abruptly cut off, and Mia knew why. In that moment, the humid air that was hovering over Magnolia Crescent was slowly fading away, being replaced by a horrible chill that drifted in from the north. At the feel of this chill, Mia stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening in horror and something like a bomb exploding in her gut as she realized what was happening. The warmth around her continued to fade, until all that was left was a harsh winter chill that shook her to the bone, and looking around, Mia saw that the sky, once brilliantly lit with stars, was now covered with a dark dense cloud, obscuring all lights until it was almost pitch black. A wave of dread, sorrow, pain and fear gripped her from head to toe, and she took a shaky breath, a white mist protruding from her lips as the flowers nearby began turning to ice.

Mia's heart started beating frantically in her chest as she shook her head. No, it couldn't be…they _can't_ be here! Anything but them! However, Mia's fears were confirmed when she heard Harry terrified voice shout into the night.

"DUDLEY, COME BACK! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGTH AT IT!"

 _No!_ In an instant, Mia was whipping her wand out of the waistband of her shorts and sprinting down Magnolia Crescent, searching every inch of the street for Harry and Dudley, panic rising in her chest. Harry is more affected by these creatures than anyone else…if they get near him…

"DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!"

"Harry!" Mia yelled, pushing herself faster. "Harry, where are you?!"

Mia continued running for about another minute, her head snapping left and right as she looked through the houses she ran past, until she caught sight of something that made her skid to a halt. Peering through the darkness, Mia was met with a frightening sight—Dudley Dursley, hunching over on the ground in a narrow alleyway, keeping his mouth clamped shut and his hands over his face, his entire body trembling as a towering, hooded, cloaked and rotted figure was hovering above him, its robes billowing in the cold wind, drawing in rattled breath through an empty, gaping hole. A bit further down the alley was Harry, his wand raised in front of him, his face as white as snow as he backed away from a second hooded figure, which was slowly making its advance towards him, reaching out a grey, decaying hand that looked as if it belonged to a corpse.

 _Dementors._

Gripping her wand tighter and ignoring the faint echoes in her ears, Mia surged forward as the Dementor over Dudley took hold of the boy's hands, forcing his terrified face upwards. _Come on, Mia, think of something happy!_

"Harry!" she yelled.

"Mia?" Harry shouted, moving his gaze away from the Dementor, his own eyes widening in fear upon seeing her run into the alley. "Mia, no! Get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Mia yelled back, trying her best to fight off the cold and concentrate. " _Expecto—_ "

Mia's voice got caught in her throat, the incantation falling dead upon her lips as the Dementor over Dudley raised its faceless head in her direction, once again drawing in a rattling breath. For a few seconds it gazed at her without seeing before it slowly released Dudley from its grasp and started floating towards her.

"NO! MIA, RUN!" Harry hollered.

But Mia could not run—she was lucky enough to get her legs to function to a point where she started backing up, attempting to say the right incantation for the Patronus Charm, but her mind was becoming more and more clouded as the Dementor drew closer to her, brings cold and dark shadows along with it. Soon enough Mia's body began shaking all over, trying to fight of the bitter cold as the voices grew louder and louder inside her head until they were ringing in her ears.

" _Kill him, fool, and be done! KILL HIM!"_

"No," Mia whimpered as she fell to the ground. "Not again…"

 _"All you have to do is give me the Stone, unless you want to watch him die in vain…"_

The Dementor was directly in front of her now, bending down. Mia turned her face away and attempted to crawl away from it, but it reached out a slimy hand and wrapped it around her elbow, keeping her in place.

 _"What have you done with her?!"_

 _"A slip of the hand Harry…when you want to make your enemy suffer, you need to crush their heart…"_

The Dementor had her throat now, and she fought against it as it tried turning her face towards it, the rattling sound growing unbearably loud.

" _He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him—and now—I conquer you!"_

Mia couldn't help it—she screamed.

" _EXPECTO PRATRONUM!"_

Out of the corner of her eye, Mia saw a blinding ray of silvery-white light, bringing instant warmth to the area surrounding them. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light, but when they did she was met with the sight of a glowing, powerful silver Stag, standing tall and proud, its antlers gleaming in the darkness. Despite the situation they were in, Mia couldn't help but stare in awe of Harry's patronus, for it was the first time she has seen it with her own eyes. Before she even had time to blink, the Stag reared its head back before charging at the Dememtor that was coming at Harry, its shriek of pain echoing off the walls of the alley as it fled. The Dementor holding Mia tightened its grip on Mia's throat, making her whimper as she struggled to break free.

"Get it!" Harry yelled to his Stag, holding his wand out in front of him. The dazzling silver animal ran past Harry and then crashed straight into the Dementor, its antlers driving in straight where its heart would be and causing the dark creature to release its hold on Mia. She took a large gulp of air as she regained the use of her windpipes, gasping and choking. The patronus roughly pushed the Dementor out of the alleyway and back into the cold night from whence it came, and the second the Dementor was gone, all of the terrible cold shadows went with it, along with the voices inside of Mia's head. The stars in the night sky reappeared and the warm summer air once again draped its cloak over them, as if nothing had ever happened. Mia sat curled on the ground, her hands trembling and her mind reeling at what had just happened. What the hell was going on? Why were there Dementors in Little Whinging?! Her mind was buzzing until she heard Harry's hurried footsteps and in the next moment, he had bent down beside her and wrapped her up in a tight hug, his breathing heavy and ragged.

"Mia," he said in a strange voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right," she replied as she returned the hug, trying to calm her thumping heart. "Harry, Dementors…what are they doing here?"

"I don't know," Harry replied as he slowly released her, his eyes gazing over her, as if checking for any injuries. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "Where's Dudley?"

Harry and Mia both looked over towards Dudley, who was lying curled up on the ground, visibly shaking all over, with wide, terrified eyes, and a cold sweat breaking out over his deathly pale face. After being helped to her feet, Mia and Harry quickly made their way over to the big blonde boy, bending down next to him.

"Dudley? Dudley, can you hear me?" Mia said, but she didn't receive a reply. Her mind was spinning—Dudley was horribly close to getting kissed, just like she was, and whatever the Dementors made him hear in his head must have been very awful if he was reacting like this. Just as she was about to ask Harry what they should do with him, they both suddenly heard the loud sound of rushing footsteps coming their way, along with heavy panting. Mia turned her head towards the end of the alley in time to see an old woman coming scurrying over through it, who she recognized to be her neighbor, Mrs. Figg. Mrs. Figg was a polite lady who lived down the street from her and Harry, and she was the one who usual took care of Harry whenever his relatives went out, and he wasn't allowed to come over her house. She was wearing a simple gray raincoat, with her frizzled hair coming out from underneath her hairnet, framing her wide eyes, and a string bag swinging from her wrist, her fuzzy carpet slippers standing out in the night. Mia could feel her heart drop in that moment. What did Mrs. Figg see? She was frozen where she stood as Harry hurriedly tried hiding his wand out of sight, but before either of them could say a word, Mrs. Figg beat them to it.

"Don't put it away, idiot boy!" she shrieked at Harry, gesturing to his wand. "What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to _kill_ Mundungus Fletcher!"

 _What?!_

"What?" Harry said, voicing Mia's exact thoughts.

"He left!" Mrs. Figg raged, wringing her hands together as her face displayed a mix of fury and anxiety as she stared around. "Left to see someone about a batch of cauldrons that fell off the back of a broom! I told him I'd flay him alive if he went, and now look what's happened! _Dementors!_ I swear, if I hadn't set out Mr. Tibbles just in case—oh, this is not going to end well! Harry, Mia, you need to get up right now! There might be more of them hanging around, I have to get you both back home!"

"Wait—you're a _witch?!_ " Harry said in shock.

"I'm a Squib," Mrs. Figg explained with an impatient wave of her hand. "Which Mundungus knows full well, and yet he left you completely alone and unattended, knowing I couldn't so much as make a feather fly, much less fight off two Dementors!"

"Hang on, this Mundungus bloke was following me?" Harry asked. "Wait, it was _him!_ He disapparated in front of my house earlier!"

"Harry, what are you talking about?" Mia asked in confusion.

"Yes, he was supposed to watch over you while I kept an eye on Mia, but we don't have time for this—"

"What? I was being watched too?" Mia said.

"Not now you two, we need to move!" Mrs. Figg said, coming over to stand over Dudley. "Oh what is Dumbledore going to say about this? Come on you fat lump, get up quick!"

"You know Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

"Of curse boy, who doesn't know Dumbledore? Give me a hand you two, we need to get him up so we can get out of here!"

There were still so many questions spinning around in Mia's head, but she pushed them aside for the moment as she and Harry both stood to their feet and grabbed Dudley's arms. With an enormous effort, they managed to get Dudley to his feet and slung his arms across their shoulders, trying to balance his weight since he looked as if he were about to faint. It was difficult, but they were able to drag Dudley down the alley by working together, with Mrs. Figg leading the way, telling them both to keep their wands out in case there was anything else waiting for them in the silent night. As they walked, Mia was trying to figure out what was going on. Why were Dementors in Little Whinging? Why was she and Harry being followed without them knowing about it? Who was this Mundungus that was supposed to be watching Harry, and why did he leave? While Mia was mulling over all of this in her head, Harry was openly asking Mrs. Figg why she never told him that she was a Squib, and that Dumbledore had placed her on Privet Drive to watch over him. Mrs. Figg seemed a bit sad at this point, sadly explaining that she was under orders not to say anything to Harry, as he had been too young to know. She also apologized for making his visits miserable, as the Dursleys would never allow him to come over otherwise. Mrs. Figg was frantic, muttering about how she was going to strangle Mundungus Fletcher with her bare hands, and that she had no way to contact Dumbledore to tell him what had happened, and that the Ministry would surly know what had happened by now.

"But Harry was getting rid of Dementors," Mia pointed out, huffing from the weight of carrying Dudley down the streets. "He was protecting himself and his cousin, their lives were in danger. Surly the ministry will be more concerned with why there were Dementors in Little Whinging, won't they?"

"My dear girl, I wish it were that simple, but—MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Mia let out a yelp of surprise as there was a loud, echoing crack that split through the air, and in the next second, there was a short, scraggly man standing before them, reeking of tobacco and alcohol. He was wearing a patched up overcoat, with long ginger hair and beard, and was holding a silvery bundle in his arms, which Mia recognized as an invisibility cloak.

"'S'up Figgy?" the man said before taking the time to stare around at them all. "What 'appened to staying undercover?"

"I'll give you undercover you useless bag of dung!" Mrs. Figg cried, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Dementors were just here, and these children were forced to fight them on their own!"

"What? Dementors, here?" Mundungus said, aghast.

"Yes here, you worthless slimball, here!" Mrs. Figg shouted. "Dementors attacked the boy on your watch! And you're off buying stolen cauldrons when I warned you not to go!"

"I—well, I…it—it was a very good business opportunity, I was going to be right back—"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, because Mrs. Figg gave a shriek of anger before she raised her bag and started wholloping Mundungus with it, and from the rattling sound it made, it was full of cat food. She whacked every part of him she could find while he cowered away from her, yelling in pain and saying that someone needed to tell Dumbledore. This only resulted in Mrs. Figg hitting him even harder, saying that it was going to be him who told Dumbledore what had happened, and that he had abandoned his post and _allowed_ it to happen. Mundungus took a couple more whacks before he complied and disappeared with another loud crack, vanishing from sight.

"I hope Dumbledore _murders_ him!" Mrs. Figg snapped, her eyes ablaze. "Let's go, we need to keep moving!"

After taking a weary glance at one another, Harry and Mia continued dragging Dudley after Mrs. Figg through the dark, quiet streets, keeping a look out for anything else that might be out there.

"Mrs. Figg, I don't understand," Mia panted. "Why are Harry and I being watched?"

"Did you honestly believe that Dumbledore would allow either of you two to go wandering around on your own after what had happened in June?" Mrs. Figg replied. "After what happened to that poor Diggory boy, and what had happened to you two that night, he wanted to make sure you were both looked out for, in case anything were to happen. It wasn't easy either, since you two decided that this would be the summer you would stick to yourselves when any other time you're practically glued at the hip."

There was a brief silence at Mrs. Figg's words, and Mia withdrew into herself a bit, once again feeling as she had been earlier, when she thought over how much Harry had been ignoring her for the past few weeks. She kept her eyes on the ground as they moved, because, somehow, she could feel Harry's eyes on her, but she couldn't find it in herself to meet it. Mrs. Figg eventually led them back to Privet Drive and walked with them up to number four's door. Mrs. Figg told Harry to go inside and stay there, no matter what, and that he would receive word from someone soon.

"Mia, I'm going to wait outside for you," she said to the brunette. "Once you and Harry get this loaf settled inside, I want you to come right back out, and I'll take you home. I'm not taking the chance of leaving either of you two alone."

"But—"

"There's no time, Harry!" she said. "Someone will be in touch soon, but until then you need to _stay in the house._ Go on, and hurry up, Mia."

Mia nodded and then she and Harry quickly walked up the garden path before ringing the doorbell. It only took a moment for the door to open, and they were greeted with the sight of Petunia Dursley standing in the entrance, wearing her blonde hair in a neat bun, with a white and yellow sundress on, her thin hands fanning her face.

"Diddy! About time too, I was getting quite—quite— _Diddy, what's wrong?!_ "

Dudley was looking incredibly green at this point, and he was beginning to sway on the spot. Moving fast, both Mia and Harry hurriedly ducked out from underneath his massive arms just in time, for at that moment, Dudley keened over and vomited all over the doormat.

"DIDDY! Diddy, what's the matter with you?" Mrs. Dursley shrieked, throwing her arms around her precious baby boy. "Vernon! VERNON!"

In a matter of minutes, Vernon Dursley came waddling down the front hallway, and then he and his wife hoisted their sick, weak son down the hall and into the kitchen. In all the ruckus, no one seemed to notice Harry or Mia as they slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind them. The Dursleys ushered Dudley into the kitchen, where they kept asking him what had happened.

"Why are you covered in dirt, darling? Have you been lying on the ground? Are you ill?"

"Hang on—you haven't been mugged, have you, son?"

"Phone the police Vernon! Phone the police! Diddy, darling, speak to Mummy! What did they do to you?!"

"Who did it son? Give us names, we'll get them, don't worry."

"Shh, he's trying to say something Vernon! What is it, Diddy? Tell Mummy!"

Then, from the crack in the kitchen door, Mia heard Dudley's strained, trembling voice mutter only one word.

" _Him."_

 _Oh no…_

"BOY! COME HERE!"

Before either of them could make a move, the door leading into the kitchen burst open and Mr. Dursley stood there, his face beat read and his beard twitching dangerously as he glared daggers at Harry, his hands curled into fists.

"Get in here, now," he snarled, his teeth bared. "And _you_ girl—you get out of my house this instant! Now!"

"Don't talk to her like that," Harry nearly growled, narrowing his eyes.

"She is not welcome in this house," Mr. Dursley said. "Not her or her abnormalities! You and your kind sticking together, how do I know she didn't help you torment my son?! Leave now girl, and you keep your freakishness away from my family!"

" _I said don't talk to her like that!"_ Harry snapped, his expression furious and his grip on his wand tightening so much that his knuckles were turning white. Remembering all too well what had happened the last time Harry had lost his temper with his relatives, Mia stepped next to Harry and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, staring at him pleadingly.

"Harry, please," she whispered. "It's okay, I'll go. It's okay…"

She tried to make her voice as soothing as possible, not wanting to get him in any more trouble with his uncle then he already was. Harry was breathing heavily, and it took a few seconds but he soon relaxed his stiff muscles, casting one more angry glare at Mr. Dursley before turning to look at her.

"It's okay," Mia repeated softly. "It's better if I go. Everything will be fine, all right?"

Harry's eyes softened a great deal while he looked at her, and she could see something like guilt and another strong emotion swirling through them, making the beautiful emerald color she has grown to love so much lose some of its light.

"Mia, I…"

"I know," she mumbled, giving him a sad smile. "I'll talk to you soon."

With that being said, Mia gave Harry's shoulder a comforting squeeze before she turned around, opened the front door, and stepped outside where Mrs. Figg was waiting for her.

"Come on, now," the old woman said as Mia closed the door and made her way over to her. "I have to get you home and then I have to wait for instructions."

"Okay," Mia muttered, walking side by side with Mrs. Figg as they made their way across the street to number two, where she could see the shapes of her parent's shadows behind the window curtains. A frown made its way onto Mia's face and she couldn't help but groan loudly.

 _Mum and Dad are just going to love this…_

 **Read and review please! I know this chapter seemed a tad bit darker than others I might have done, but I wanted to try something a little different with the beginning of this story, I hope you guys liked it. I know this silence between Harry and Mia is odd, considering how close they are, but Harry goes through a lot in this book in general, and he's going through a time when he feels isolated and alone, and of course, Harry being Harry, sometimes he feels as if he can best deal with things alone. I just made this happen earlier than expected, but worry not dear readers, the next chapter will makes sure things get better between them.**


	2. A House of Shadows

**Helloooooo everyone! I know, I know, I'm horrible for making you wait this long, but I drank two cups of coffee in order to get this chapter done tonight, and I'm probably not going to be falling asleep anytime soon because of it. I'm very sorry about the delay, having time to write out the second chapter was harder than I thought, and March was the start of hectic scrambling, as it started the period where all of my school assignments were due every other week. It's been a very tiring month, and it's not over yet, so I wanted to make sure this got done before I seriously hit the books this weekend.**

 **Anyway, here is the long awaited chapter two of "You Were Always There: Part Five!" This one is pretty decent, I hope you all think so too, and I apologize if the ending to it may seem a bit off, but I didn't want to make the chapter too long, and it seemed like a good place to end it. I'm still trying out that new direction I started in the first chapter when it comes to certain things, and I hope it turns out okay. If there are any questions or comments, please feel free to let me know, and please REVIEW! Tell me what you think, even if you hate it, and I will do my best to update when I can, I already have the first few lines written out for chapter three. Love you guys, thanks for your continued support and for putting up with me! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Two: A House of Shadows

MPOV

It had been a few days since the Dementor attack on Magnolia Crescent, and Mia found herself terribly restless and irritated. Following the attack, Mrs. Figg had taken Mia back to her house, where she had to explain to her parents what had happened. Needless to say, they were not thrilled about it, and Catherine nearly lost her head, but Mrs. Figg was able to give them a brief rundown before she had to bustle off to her home down the street. After that, Mia had gotten into yet another fight with her parents. While Catherine was wrapping her brain around the fact that her daughter was attacked by a dark magical creature, Ben told Mia that she was not to leave the house until they deemed it safe, to which Mia instantly protested—she wanted to check on Harry, but her father forbid it, not wanting to risk her safety. Mia had grown very angry at this point, and all of her bent up frustration reached a snapping point. The vague letters she had gotten from her friends, Harry ignoring her, being completely alone the entire summer without a scrap of news of what was going on in the wizarding world and now the sudden Dementor attack was the last straw. She had snapped back at her father heatedly, which ended up with her being grounded until further notice.

So now here she was, sitting on her bed with her sketchpad in front of her scribbling away on the paper in a mass of pointless colors and patterns, her only light being the one on her bedside table and the distant setting sun. She had spent the last four days cooped up in her room, too angry and upset to come downstairs much. Every night before she went to bed, she would sit by her window with a wad of paper and a marker in her hand, hoping that Harry would write to her like they did the previous summer, but to no avail. She could tell that he wasn't leaving his room much either, and after what has happened, she wanted to go over and comfort him, to let him know that everything was fine. She had spent most of her time drawing or painting with the new easel her parents had bought for her at the beginning of the summer, spending hours upon hours working, her hands constantly covered in paint. During all this time, there was still no word from anyone and it annoyed her greatly. She and Harry had been attacked by Dementors—why was no one telling them what was going on?!

Sighing in frustration, Mia set her colored pencils down and stared at the drawing of her brother she had been copying from a picture of his first birthday, where he had smashed cake all over his face, grinning broadly up at the camera. A tiny smile came on her face as she remembered that day. Her parents had been so excited for his first birthday, Catherine spoiled him with chocolate cake and Ben bought him a baby's version of a toy truck. Mia had gotten him a new outfit and a stuffed dog from her allowance money that he still had to this day, as it was one of his absolute favorite toys, beside Barnaby the bear. Harry couldn't come over that day, but he was sweet enough to make Brian a card, even though he couldn't read it yet. Sighing again, Mia set aside her crafts equipment and laid back against her pillows, staring up at her ceiling, lost in thought. She stayed this way as the sky outside steadily grew darker, and night had descended upon Privet Drive. She wasn't exactly sure how long she was lying there for, but it only felt like minutes before there was a soft knock on her door, and she turned her head to see Brian standing in the doorway.

"What is it, Bry?" she asked.

"Mummy and Daddy want you to come downstairs," the little five year old replied.

"I'll be down in a bit," Mia told him, going back to stare at the ceiling.

"I think there are some wizards here to see you," Brian said. "They're wearing dresses and funny hats."

In an instant, Mia shot up in her bed and was soon racing past Brian, patting his head and thanking him before rushing down the staircase, hope swelling in her chest. Were there really wizards here? Was it Ron or Hermione? Or any of the Weasleys? When Mia reached the bottom of the stairs, she made sharp right into the living room, but she soon stopped dead in her tracks, her hope quickly deflating like a balloon.

They were wizards all right, but no one that Mia knew herself. There was a rather tall wizard wearing sky blue robes standing next to Ben by the mantle, with thick straw colored hair and matching beard, staring around at the living room with interest. Standing off to the side was a young, pretty witch with rosy cheeks and midnight black hair tied into a braid over her left shoulder, wearing purples robes and a matching witch's hat with gold stars on it. When Mia entered the room, the witch smiled at her and walked over, extending her hand.

"Hello there," she said politely. "My name is Hestia Jones, and this is Sturgis Podmore. It's nice to meet you Miss Thatcher."

"Um, Hi," Mia muttered, slowly taking Hestia's hand and shaking it.

"I understand that you must be confused as to why we are here," Hestia said. "You see there is an urgent matter at hand, one we need to discuss with you and your family."

"What kind of urgent matter?" Catherine asked from her position by the hallway, her arms folded over her chest and her brown eyes speculating.

"As I'm sure you're aware, the other night your daughter, along with Harry Potter and his cousin, were attacked by Dememtors," Sturgis replied. "There is to be a hearing in August about the issue, and your daughter has been called to testify."

"She what?!" said Ben.

"A hearing?" Catherine repeated in surprise.

"What hearing?" Mia said, puzzled. "I haven't heard anything about a hearing."

"After Mr. Potter fed off the Dementors with the Patronus Charm, he was sent a letter declaring that he had been expelled from Hogwarts, for breaking the decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, as well as performing magic in front of a Muggle," Sturgis explained.

"What?" Mia gasped in horror, an ice ball dropping into her gut. "Harry's expelled?"

"Not yet," Hestia answered. "Albus Dumbledore had convinced the Ministry to give Harry a formal hearing to plead his case, and the thing is Mia, he'll need you there to testify on his behalf, because he's going to have all the odds against him."

"Hang on, if this hearing is next month, then why are you here for us now?" asked Ben with furrowed eyebrows.

"We are not here for you, sir," Sturgis replied carefully, gesturing over towards Mia. "We're here for your daughter, to take her to a safe house until the time of the hearing."

"I don't think so," Ben argued, his eyes flashing as he glared at Sturgis. "My daughter isn't going anywhere."

"Dad, I have to!" Mia said instantly. "If I don't, Harry will be expelled!"

"She is not of age yet, she can't do this without our permission," Ben said. "So you can just forget it."

"Dad, please—"

"Not another word, Mia."

"Mr. Thatcher," Hestia softly interrupted, stepping forward. "I know that this all must be very confusing and frightening to you, but please know that we would never allow any harm to come to Mia. May we please talk about this further in your kitchen?"

"Yes," Catherine replied before Ben could open this mouth. "Sweetheart, let's just hear them out."

Ben set his jaw, his muscles tensing, but he gave a stiff nod before heading out to the hallway and into the kitchen. Sturgis and Hestia followed him while Catherine stayed behind to talk to Mia.

"I want you to stay right here with Brian," she said, and just from the tone of her voice, Mia knew there was no discussion. "Stay with Brian, watch a little T.V. This won't take long."

Mia looked straight into her mother's eyes and, knowing better than to argue with her on this, nodded her head and watched as Catherine followed the others into the kitchen. Once she was gone, Mia's mind was left spinning rapidly. Harry was almost expelled? But why? There were Dementors here in Little Whinging, they couldn't just stand there defenseless! Why did there need to be a hearing at all? It was stated in the law that if a wizard or witch was in a life threatening situation, then they were allowed to use magic. And what did Hestia mean, that Harry would have all the odds against him?

"Mia?"

Mia looked around to see Brian lingering by the stairs, his big doe eyes expressing concern.

"Who were those people?" he asked.

"It's okay Brian, they were just some people who needed to talk to Mum and Dad," Mia told him, giving him a small smile. "Come on, let's watch some T.V until they're done."

Brian nodded, and then he and Mia sat down together on the sofa while their parents talked with Hestia and Sturgis in the kitchen. For Brian's benefit, Mia made sure to have the volume on the television a little high, in case there were the chances that voices would be raised. For a little while, the two of them sat there, watching evening cartoons amidst the soft glow of the lamps. Mia found herself restless, constantly fidgeting and shifting her position on the sofa, fighting the desire the sneak over to the kitchen door and listen in on what was being said. Her fingers picked at the hem of her sleeve, a habit of hers whenever she was very nervous about something, and she tried her best to focus on the animated fox that was being outwitted by the duck and the sound of Brian's giggles as he watched them run around the tree a hundred times. It wasn't until the end of the cartoon episode that the door to the kitchen opened up and all of the adults finally came out. Ben was looking less than pleased, but yet accepting at the same time, while Catherine had a concerned gleam in her eyes.

"Mia," she started. "Your father and I have talked with Ms. Jones and Mr. Podmore and, although we have our concerns, we have agreed to let you go with them so you can testify in this hearing."

"Really? Oh Mum, thank you!" Mia said.

"On a few conditions," Ben cut in, holding up a hand and looking at her sternly. "One, this safe house they are taking you to, you are not to leave it, under any circumstances. Two, your mother and I expect a letter from you at least once a week to let us know how you are doing, especially after this hearing is over with. Three, we've been informed that Molly and Arthur are going to be at this safe house as well, so you are to listen to them and behave yourself while you are staying with them. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Well, now that that's all settled, why don't you go and pack your things, Mia?" Hestia said. "We'll wait for you here."

"Okay, I won't be long," Mia said, jumping off of the sofa and hurrying down the hall to the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. As if moving on auto pilot, Mia went into her room, pulled her Hogwarts trunk out of her closet and then started packing up everything she would need: her school uniform, cauldron, potions ingredients, her books, scales, parchment, crafts equipment, Muggle clothes, camera, ink, quills, magical money, and anything else she would need for the year, her mind reeling. She wondered where this safe house was going to be. Were Ron's parents really there? Did that mean he was there too? At times like this, she really wished she was of age, that way she could have all of this packing down in less than three minutes. After some frantic searching for Sapphire, who was hiding under the bed, and placing her in her carrier, Mia closed the lid of her trunk with a snap and then quickly snatched her wand off of her dresser. When she had everything she needed, she left her room and then went back downstairs, where Hestia and Sturgis were waiting for her.

"Got everything you need dear?" Hestia asked.

"I'm all set," Mia replied.

"Good, we'll just let you say goodbye to your parents and then we'll be on our way," Hestia said. "We'll see you out front."

Mia nodded as the witch and wizard opened the front door and stepped outside. Turning to her parents, she suddenly wasn't so sure of this. Guilt started creeping up on her as she remembered how much they had been fighting this summer, and she felt incredibly shameful of how she had been acting lately. Before she could say anything, Ben came over and scooped her up into a tight hug. Mia felt a warmth in her chest at being encased in her father's loving embrace and she returned it with full force.

"I'm sorry, Dad," she whispered.

"It's okay, princess," he sighed, kissing the top of her head. "Please, be careful. I know you'll more than likely spend the rest of the holidays with the Weasleys, just please let us know how everything goes. We love you, so very much. Stay safe, and have a good start of term, okay?"

"Okay," Mia said quietly, giving him an extra squeeze before letting go, only to be wrapped up in Catherine's arms.

"I love you, sweetheart. Tell Harry we wish him luck."

"I will," said Mia.

"Are you leaving Mia? You have to go to school already?" Brian asked, looking up at her with big eyes.

"I have to go somewhere first, then yes, I'll be back at school," Mia replied.

"I don't want you to go," he mumbled stubbornly. "You're never home."

Brian's words made Mia's heart clench a little, and she walked over so she could bend down in front of him.

"I'm sorry that I have to leave so soon, Bry," she said gently. "But I have to do something, Harry needs my help."

"Is he okay?" Brian said.

"Yes, but he may still need my help," Mia said, wishing there was a way to explain this so he would understand. "But don't worry, I'll be home for Christmas, then the two of us can make sugar cookies with Mum."

"You promise?" Brian said, holding out his pinky.

"I promise," Mia said, giving her brother a smile as she hooked her finger with his and they shook on it. "You be good for Mum and Dad, okay?"

The little boy nodded and Mia stood to her feet, grabbing her trunk as her parents led her to the front door. Hestia and Sturgis were waiting in the front yard, both casually glancing around, as if checking to make sure the coast is clear. Giving Catherine and Ben a final kiss goodbye, Mia walked out of the house and over towards Hestia, with Sapphire under one arm and dragging her trunk behind her.

"Where exactly are we going?" Mia asked a they set off across the yard.

"Well first we have to meet up with the others at Harry's house, then we're going to take you two somewhere safe," Hestia replied. "We'll explain more once we get back to Headquarters."

"Headquarters?" Mia repeated, but Hestia simply placed a finger to her lips, and they continued making their way over to Number Four. Once they reached the front door, Sturgis knocked a few times, and then, to Mia's shock, a very familiar voice called through the other side.

"Why did the sparrow fall from the oak?"

"He was deceived by the beauty of the laurel," Sturgis replied, rolling his eyes. "Open up, Remus."

The front door soon opened, revealing a man in his early to mid-thirties, although from the streaks of gray hair in his chestnut brown hair, one would think he was much older. His pale face had scars across it, giving him an almost sickly look, and he wore shabby robes that were patched up in some places. Nevertheless, his brown eyes brightened a bit when he saw them all standing on the doorstep, and a smile came across his lips when he saw Mia.

"Hello Mia," he greeted pleasantly.

"Professor Lupin?" Mia said with a smile of her own. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here as a part of the escort for you and Harry," he answered, stepping back to let them in. "And it's just Remus now, Mia, as I'm no longer your teacher."

"It's a tough habit to break," Mia noted cheerfully as she followed everyone inside the house.

"Where is everyone?" Hestia asked.

"Mad-eye, Kingsley, and Elphias are in the kitchen, Tonk is upstairs helping Harry pack his things," said Lupin, shutting the door behind him.

"Moody?" Mia said in surprise and slight unease, staring wide-eyed at Lupin. "He's here?"

"Yes, he is, and I assure you, it's the real one," Lupin said.

"Unfortunately," Hestia muttered under her breath.

"We only have a few more minutes until the signal," Lupin stated. "I'll write a letter for Harry's relatives really quick."

Mia walked through the hallway with everyone else into the pristine white kitchen that Harry's aunt was so incredibly proud of, and was met with a peculiar sight. There were two wizards examining the microwave with great interest and curiosity, with another was sitting at the kitchen table, grumbling to himself. Mia hesitated for a brief second before she fully entered the room. This man looked as if he had been through a battlefield, with many scars along his face to rival Lupins, a big chunk of his nose missing, with one wooden leg, a long, clawed staff resting at his side, thin gray hair on top of his head, and a large, bright, and magical electric blue eyes that he was currently moisturizing with water.

"Took you three long enough," Moody grunted, his magical eye swerving in his hand so it faced Mia, making her stomach churn. "You all set to go, girl?"

"Yes she is, and don't be so mean, Mad-eye," Hestia said. "Don't mind him dear, he's just a bit more of a sour puss than usual."

"You would be too if you were locked in a trunk for almost a year," Moody snarled as he carefully placed the eye back into its socket.

"Being your usual cheerful self, Mad-eye?" came a new voice. Mia turned around to see a young woman enter the kitchen, and she was stunned to see that this woman had short, bubble gum pink hair that stood up in the back. She wore dark purple robes and had a beaming smile on her face.

"Be quiet, Nymphadora," Moody said.

 _"Don't call me Nymphadora,"_ the woman said, her smile vanishing for a moment to be replaced by a deep scowl, and Mia could see the tips of her hair slowly turn red and she gasped.

"You're a Metamorphmagus!" she said in awe, gaining the woman's attention.

"Sure am," the woman confirmed, seeming a bit impressed that Mia knew. "My name's Tonks, it's good to meet you Mia. You're just as pretty in real life as you are in Harry's pictures."

All at once, Mia's face flushed a deep scarlet red and she heard someone clear their throat from next to Tonks, and that was when she noticed that Harry had entered the kitchen with her, his face red as well as he held Hedwig's empty cage in his hand. Although, his expression did seem to lift quite a bit upon seeing Mia, and despite the odd situation they found themselves in, Mia could feel her heart rate increase.

"Hey Mia," he said.

"Hi Harry," she muttered.

"Excellent," said Lupin, standing up from where he had been sitting at the table, writing what seemed to be a not for the Dursleys. "We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably go out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry—"

"They won't," Harry said.

"That you're safe—"

"That'll just depress them."

"—and that you'll see them again next summer."

"Do I have to?"

Harry's responses had Mia biting her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing, and Lupin himself managed a small smile.

"Come here, you two," Moody said, gesturing to both Harry and Mia. "I need to Disillusion you."

"You need to what?" Harry asked nervously.

"Disillusionment Charm," Moody replied. Lupin says that you've got an Invisibility Cloak, but it's not enough to cover the two of you on the broom, and it'll fly off as soon as we start flying. This charm will disguise you better—"

"Broom? Fly?" Mia squeaked, her eyes widening drastically and her voice going up a few notches as a feeling of dread settled into her stomach. "We—we're flying to the safe house?"

"We have to," Lupin explained. "You both are too young to Apparate, the ministry will be watching the Floo Network, and it will take too long to make a Portkey. This is the safest and easiest way of transportation. You and Harry will ride on the Firebolt, and follow us."

Mia was positive that her face turned at least three shades of white, and she could feel her knees start to tremble at the thought of being so high in the air. Moody walked over to her and Harry, waving his wand, and in the next moment, their bodies slowly faded away, and Mia felt the strange tingling sensation run down from her head to her toes. Glancing down, she saw that she and Harry were not invisible, but had taken on the exact color and texture of the counter and cabinets behind them, like human chameleons. While impressed with this bit of magic, it didn't help any to calm her nerves for what was about to happen. Of all the ways to travel, did they really have to _fly?!_ And why would they be so cruel to place her on the fastest broom on the market?! She had a horrible fear of heights, and this was like a nightmare coming true. For a second she was seriously considering changing her mind and staying safe on the ground, but she couldn't voice her objection even if she wanted to, because before she knew it, they were all ushering her and Harry outside into the back garden. While Hestia and Tonks was attaching Harry and Mia's belongings to the backs of their brooms, Mia was eyeing the Firebolt as if it would attack her, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

"I can't do this," she whispered, still in that squeaky voice. "I can't do this…"

"Yes you can, Mia," Harry said gently, attempting to calm her as he placed his hand soothingly on her shoulder. "It'll be fine."

"I can't do heights, Harry…what if I fall?"

"I would never let you fall," Harry countered, his voice taking on a more fierce tone, as if making a vow to her. "Ever. All you have to do is hold onto me."

"You might want to tie your hair back, Mia," Hestia suggested. "It's going to be very windy."

"All right, now listen you two, we're going to be flying in formation," Moody instructed. "Tonks'll be right in front of you, keep close on her tail, and Lupin will be covering you from below. I'm going to be behind you while everyone else circles around us. We don't break ranks for anything, got me? If one of us is killed—"

"Is that likely?" said Harry while Mia gulped.

"—the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of use and you two survive, Harry, the rear guard are standing by to take over. Just keep flying west and they'll join you."

"Stop being so cheerful, Mad-eye, or they'll think we're not taking this seriously," said Tonks with a smirk.

"I'm just telling them the plan," Moody growled impatiently. "Our job is to deliver them safely to Headquarters and if we die in the attempt—"

"No one's going to die," one of the older wizards said calmly.

"That's the spirit, Kingsley!" Tonks praised.

"Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!" Lupin exclaimed, pointing towards the sky, where they could all see a shower of red wand sparks light up the sky.

"Come on, Mia," Harry said, quickly mounting the Firebolt. Biting back a whimper, Mia hastily tied her hair up in a ponytail, forced herself to walk forward and then she reluctantly climbed on the back, behind Harry. Once she was on, she reached forward and instantly wrapped her arms tightly around Harry's waist, pressing herself up against his back, her breathing coming out sharper, her hands trembling. Harry turned his head to glance at her, a small, triumphant smirk on his face.

"I told you I'd get you on a broom someday," he said.

"Shut up, Harry," Mia hissed just as Lupin pointed out green sparks in the sky, the second signal. "Ohhh, if we crash I'm going to kill you!"

"Then you better hold on tight," he stated. There was no time to respond to that, for at that moment, Harry kicked them off of the ground and up into the sky. Mia let out a short scream before slamming her eyes shut and hiding her face in between Harry's shoulders, tightening her grip on his waist. The cool night wind rushed through her as they went higher and higher, the chill biting at her fingers, but she continued to hold on to Harry as they leveled out and started to really fly, following the others to wherever they were planning on taking them. Scared out of her wits, Mia kept her eyes shut and her face pressed into the back of Harry's shirt, imagining that she was anywhere else but up in the air on a broom driven by a boy who hasn't been on one in over a month. The air whipped past, sending her thin jumper flying behind her, and a chill through her body, making her shiver slightly. After a while, she could feel Harry start to shiver too, but it wasn't too bad though, since they were sitting so close together…

Mia suddenly realized exactly how close she and Harry were, and for that brief minute, her fears had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Here she was, pressed up against his back, holding onto him for dear life with her face hidden between his shoulders, their body heat fighting off some of the cold that surrounded them. Without meaning to, Mia took in a breath and she caught a scent she never noticed before. It was fresh, sort of earthy, and somehow it immediately calmed her down a little, and it was incredibly pleasant and refreshing. Was—was this smell coming from—

"Bear southeast and keep climbing!" came Mad-eye's voice from behind. "There's some low cloud ahead we can lose ourselves in!"

"We're not going through clouds!" shouted Tonks angrily. "We'll get soaked, Mad-eye!"

"You all right, Mia?" Harry called back to her.

"Just peachy!" Mia replied, although she could feel her face begin to grow warmer, and she mentally cursed herself for it. _No, no, stop this, Mia!_ She cannot be having these feelings again, not now! She needs to get over her stupid crush for Harry, and do it fast, or it will only make things more complicated and awkward. On the night of the third task she made a promise to put Harry first before her selfish needs, and she intends to keep it.

Time went by awfully slow while they were all up in the air, and Mia did all she could to preoccupy her thoughts. As they all continued moving through the sky, the air around them had now turned bitter cold, and not even their body temperatures could keep Mia and Harry warm anymore. They both sat shivering on the broom, and Mia prayed that it wouldn't be too long before they reached their destination. Every once in a while Mad-eye would direct them a new way, changing course, leading them to who-knows-where, and Tonks would keep screaming at him, telling him to stop taking them off course so they can actually get to the safe house without freezing to death. After what felt like eternity, Mia finally heard Lupin's voice shout that it was time to start descending towards the ground. Mia pulled herself closer to Harry when she felt him go into a dive, whimpering softly, and after only about minute, a tidal wave of relief washed through her as the Firebolt slowed down and then finally came to a halt, with their feet touching the ground. Ever so slowly, Mia released her hold on Harry's waist and then leaned back away from him, her body almost numb with cold as she opened her eyes to stare around them.

They all had landed on a patch of unkempt grass in the middle of a small square, across the street form a set of very grimy and filthy looking houses. Some of these houses had broken windows, rotting garbage outside the front doors, with peeling paint, graffiti, and stains along the sides, as if they had all been vandalized. Looking around, Mia saw that directly across the street from them were a set of houses behind a black gate and as she stared at them, she noticed that there was a number ten, a number eleven, and a number thirteen. Mia folded her trembling hands as Moody, Lupin, Hestia and the others all landed safely beside them.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked her, the playfulness that was in his eyes earlier replaced with concern as they dismounted the brooms.

"I think so," Mia mumbled, feeling a bit wobbly on her feet and her stomach still doing flip-flops. "No offense prof—Remus, but I think next time I'll walk."

Lupin smiled and chuckled at her while Harry came over to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. Tonks and Hestia worked to remove their things from the ends of their brooms while Moody reached into one of his pockets and pulled out what seemed to be an odd, silver cigarette lighter. When he clicked the lighter, the nearest streetlamp went out with a tiny pop, making Mia gasp. Every time Moody clicked it, another lamp would be snuffed out, encasing them in near complete darkness, and Moody explained that it was to avoid any peering eyes. Mia and Harry followed Moody and the others across the street to the houses behind the black gate, where she stared up at the towering buildings. Moody once again reached into his pocket and this time he pulled out a piece of parchment, thrusting it into Harry's hands, telling them both to read it and memorize it. Feeling very confused, Mia and Harry shared a puzzled look before Harry unfolded the parchment and held it out for both him and Mia to read.

 _The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London._

This note only increased Mia's confusion, and she said, "But there is no number twelve," just as Harry started to say, "What's the Order of the—"

"Not here!" Moody snarled. "Wait until we're inside!"

"Inside where?" Mia asked. Instead of answering her, Moody just took the piece of parchment out of Harry's hand and set fire to it with the tip of his wand.

"Just think about what you had just read," Lupin muttered softly to the two of them. Mia went over what the note had said inside of her head and just as soon as she finished the thought, she gasped as a solid black door suddenly materialized in between numbers eleven and thirteen. Following the door was a battered, grimy looking old house that placed itself right in between Eleven and Thirteen Grimmuald Place, sprouting from the ground like a plant that had just been fed Professor Sprout's special Gilfen Water that she used on the plants in all the greenhouses at Hogwarts. Once number twelve appeared before them, Moody ushered Mia and Harry forward across the street, hauling them past the gate and up the front steps, up to the peeling door, which looked just as battered as the rest of the house, with a twisting silver serpent knocker and no keyhole. Lupin tapped the door once with his wand and Mia heard a bunch of metal clanging and clicks, like several locks being undone, and then he quickly helped both her and Harry inside, telling them not to touch anything. Mia stepped inside and was instantly greeted with near complete darkness as they stood in the front hallway. The others trailed in behind her, with Lupin, Tonks and Hestia carrying their luggage inside while Moody used the tiny silver lighter to put all the outside street lamps back in their place before shutting the door behind him, locking it.

"Here," he muttered as he tapped Mia hard over the head and did the same thing to Harry. She immediately felt as though hot liquid was tinkling down her body from her head to her toes. It was similar to the feeling of being placed under the Disillusionment Charm, and she realized that Moody must have lifted it.

"Now stay still everyone, while I give us a bit of light," Moody grunted. In the next second, a string of gas lamps came to life all along the hall, and Mia's eyes widened as she took in the sight the new found light gave to them. There was a threadbare, plain grayish carpet underneath their feet that looked as if several cats had taken their claws to it, the wallpaper was peeling off, leaving bare white strips in different places, a stunning serpent-designed chandelier hung overhead, covered completely in cobwebs and dust, while blackened portraits hung crookedly on the walls. Overall, it was a rather gloomy, old, and almost lifeless house that made Mrs. Brugger's home seem like Buckingham Palace. It reeked of shadow and despair, as if there had been no one to care for it for centuries, the perfect setting for a haunted house. What in the world was this place? Before Mia could ask, a door at the end of the hall opened up, and then Ron's mother, Molly Weasley came rushing out. She beamed as she caught sight of Harry and Mia and came over to them, her red hair in slight disarray.

"Harry! Mia! How wonderful to see you dears!" Mrs. Weasley gushed, pulling Harry in for a hug, and then Mia, who couldn't help but smile and return the Weasley matriarch's affectionate gesture. "Are you two all right? Harry, you're a bit peaky, you need feeding up, but I'm afraid you will have to wait until after the meeting for dinner. The rest of you, he's just arrived—the meeting's just started."

Moody and the rest of the wizards all walked past Mia and Harry and went to go through the door that she had just emerged from. Harry made to go after Lupin, but Mrs. Weasley held him back, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry Harry, but the meeting is for members of the Order, only. Ron and Hermione are both upstairs, you can wait with them until the meeting is over and then we'll have dinner. And you must keep your voice down in the hall, we don't want to wake anything up."

"Mrs. Weasley, what is going on?" Mia asked.

"I'll explain everything later dear, but I must hurry and show you two where you'll be sleeping, I'm supposed to be at the meeting," Mrs. Weasley replied, herding them both through a moth eaten curtain and towards the staircase. As they made their way up, Mia folded her arms across her chest and stared at everything around her. They passed by more hideous objects along the walls, which included several shrunken house-elf heads, making her shiver and pull a disgusted face. When they reached the second landing, Mrs. Weasley pointed to the first door on the right, where she said that Harry would be staying. She bid them goodbye after that, saying Mia would be shown where she would be staying very soon, and then she bustled back down the steps, falling out of sight. Once they were alone, Harry and Mia looked at each other.

"You get the feeling that something strange is going on?" he said.

"Yeah, but after everything we've been through, this doesn't even make it in the top five," she replied. "We should probably go inside, this place really gives me the creeps."

Harry nodded and then the two of the opened the door and stepped inside the bedroom. However, they barely even got a glimpse of it before there was a loud screech, and even louder shriek, and then the next thing Mia knew, she and Harry were very nearly plowed to the ground as Hermione flung herself at them, wrapping her arms around their necks and pulling them in close.

"Ahh! Hermione!" Mia grunted.

"YOU'RE HERE! Ron, they're here, Harry and Mia are here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how _are_ you guys? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless—but we couldn't tell either of you anything, Dumbledore made us swear not to. Oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got to tell us—the Dementors! When we heard—and that Ministry hearing—it's just outrageous! I've looked it up Harry, they can't expel you, they just can't! Mia, you never actually performed the spell, so you can't be charged with anything, and if you play it right, Harry will get off, he didn't do anything wrong, in the case of life threatening situations you had no choice—"

"Bloody hell Hermione, let them breathe!"

Mia peeked over Hermione shoulder to see a grinning Ron Weasley standing there, closing the door behind them, tall and lanky, with fiery red hair and freckles on his cheeks. After about another minute, Hermione finally let go, beaming broadly at the both of them, while something white and feathery flew over and landed on Harry's shoulder.

"Hedwig!" he exclaimed, instantly reaching up and petting his beloved bird as she nibbled his ear affectionately.

"She's been in a right state," said Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look."

Ron showed them his fingers, which all had healing cuts from Hedwig's beak.

"Well, she's been a good girl then, hasn't she? Because we wanted answers," Mia said, reaching over and stroking the beautiful owl along with Harry.

"We really wanted to give them to you guys, but Dumbledore—"

"Made you swear not to," Harry finished.

"Hermione's already said," Mia added with a frown, staring down her two friends.

"He probably thought that it was for the best," Hermione said, a bit tentatively.

"Right, I'm sure he did," Harry said, and there was something in his tone that made Mia feel a little apprehensive.

"He might've thought you would be safer with the Muggles—" Ron started.

"Safer?" Mia repeated, her eyes narrowing. "The last time I checked, being attacked by Dementors was the opposite of safe."

"No, but that's why he's had Order members tailing you guys all summer—"

"Oh really, now?" Harry cut in sharply.

"So basically everyone knew we were being watched but us, right?" Mia asked, anger starting to settle into her tone. Ron and Hermione seemed to cower a bit under the glares of Mia and Harry, and she once again crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best not to raise her voice.

"You two, explain— _now._ "

"Dumbledore wanted to make sure you two were safe," Hermione said. "He was so very angry when he found out Mundungus left his post, and left Harry alone. He was scary."

"But why is he keeping us in the dark?" Harry demanded. "Why has he told you not to tell us anything?"

"We don't know, Harry," Ron answered. "All we knew was that he made Hermione and I swear not to say anything important to you in our letters. We couldn't tell you either, Mia, I think he knew that whatever we told you, you would go and tell Harry. We tried asking him why, but he's rarely ever here, and when he is, it's for Order meetings, and we're not allowed to go to them."

"Maybe he just thinks I can't be trusted, then," Harry said.

"Don't be stupid!" said Ron.

"Or that I can' take care of myself—"

"Of course he doesn't think that!" Hermione opposed, looking anxious.

"So how come I have to stay at the Dursley's while you two get to join in everything that's going on here?! How come you two get to know everything that's going on?" Harry snapped. His expression was growing more and more furious, his hands balling into fists, and his voice was getting louder with each word. Mia could somehow tell what was about to happen, and she took a few steps backward, waiting.

"We're not!" Ron protested. "Mum won't let us near the meetings, she says we're too young—"

 _Wrong choice of words, Ron…_

"SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL!" Harry bellowed, finally letting out all of his anger, bitterness, and frustration, making both Ron and Hermione jump. "YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER WHILE MIA AND I WERE STUCK AT PRIVET DRIVE WITH NOTHING! I'VE BEEN WITH THE DURSLEYS FOR A MONTH, AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO COULD HAVE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT! WHO SAVED THE SORCERER'S STONE? WHO STOPPED RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"

Ron was staring at Harry with his mouth half open, looking gob smacked, while Hermione appeared on the verge of tears.

"WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? WHO WAS FORCED TO WATCH AS MIA WAS TIED UP AND POISONED? ME!"

Mia winced as Harry's tirade continued on for the next couple of minutes, claiming that Ron and Hermione couldn't have wanted to tell them anything that much, or they'd send an owl, which the two tried telling him they really wanted to, but they couldn't. In her experience, she knew that it was probably best that Harry get all of this out of his system, since he didn't confide to anyone over the summer about his resentment. She had feared that his isolation would reach a boiling point, and now that it has, she couldn't help but feel as though a whip was cracking throughout the room with each word Harry yelled. Hermione and Ron stood there, looking incredibly guilty and ashamed, and seeing their expressions made Mia's resolve break a little. For a moment, she tried to imagine what she would have done in the same situation. No matter how she felt, she knew that refusing even a request from Dumbledore would be extremely difficult. She wanted to be angry with them—and she was—but she knew that it really didn't matter at this point.

"I SUPPOSE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A REAL LAUGH, HAVEN'T YOU, ALL HOLED UP TOGETHER—"

"Harry, we're really sorry!" Hermione said, tears now falling freely down her face. "You're absolutely right—I'd be furious if it was me!"

Harry glared harshly at her and opened his mouth, more than likely to start yelling again.

"Harry," Mia said, gazing at him. She used a gentle yet firm tone, asking him to calm down and letting him know that this wasn't helping things. Nonetheless, Harry feel silent at her hidden plea and huffed, started to pace back and forth across the floor, not looking at Ron or Hermione.

"What is this place?" Mia asked them, no longer using anger in her tone or posture, feeling as if they had been punished enough by being on the bad end of Harry's temper.

"It's headquarters," Ron replied quickly. "For the Order of the Phoenix."

 **Read and review, please!**


	3. Heated Fights and Catching Up

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Three: Heated Fights and Catching Up

MPOV

"Is anyone going to bother telling us what that is?" Harry grumbled impatiently.

"It's a secret society, founded by Dumbledore back during the first war," Hermione answered, wiping at her eyes. Hermione and Ron went on to tell Harry and Mia about the people who they knew were in it, and some of the ones they had met. When Harry asked if there was any news about Voldemort, Ron told them that since they were not allowed in the meetings, they didn't know the details, but thanks to a new invention of Fred and George's, Extendable Ears, they were able to find out some things. For instance, they knew that there were some members who were tailing known Death Eaters, recruiting new members, and something about being on guard duty, which Mia summed up to meaning keeping an eye on her and Harry at Privet Drive. Unfortunately they had to stop using the ears because Mrs. Wealsey, like all good mothers, eventually found out and lost it.

"So what have you two been doing, if you haven't been to the meetings?" Harry asked. "You said you've been busy."

"We have," Hermione confirmed. "Ever since I came here with Ron and his family, we've all been working to decontaminate and clean up this house."

"Mum reckons it'll keep us from being nosy," Ron muttered.

"We managed to clean out most of the rooms, but we still have plenty to do," Hermione added in. "I think tomorrow we'll be doing the drawing room—ARGH!"

All of a sudden, there were two loud cracks that split into the air, and then Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older twin brothers, appeared out of thin air in the middle of the room, both wearing identical beaming grins.

"Stop doing that!" Hermione scolded.

"Hello, Harry!" George greeted cheerfully. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."

"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that Harry, let it all out," Fred said. "There might be a couple of people about fifty miles away who didn't hear you."

"Fred! George!" Mia exclaimed happily, a wide smile spreading across her face as she rushed forward and jumped into their arms, having to stand on her tippy toes.

"Could this be our little Mia?" Fred said in fake astonishment.

"Nah, it couldn't be," George replied, squinting down at her. "Wasn't Mia a bit shorter last year?"

"I'm sure she was," Fred agreed. "And not nearly as ugly as this stranger here— _ow!_ Never mind, that's her, I'd know that punch anywhere."

"You two passed your Apparation tests, then?" Harry said grumpily.

"With distinction," Fred answered proudly, extracting what looked like a long piece of flesh-colored string from his pocket.

"It only would have taken you about thirty more seconds to take the stairs," Ron pointed out.

"Time is Galleons, little brother," Fred said with a wave of his hand. "Anyway, Harry you're interfering with reception for the Extendable Ears, we have it trailed down all the way down the landing. We're trying to figure out what's going on in the meeting."

"You two better be careful," Ron said. "If Mum catches you using them again—"

"It'll be worth it, this meeting's a major one," George cut in. At that moment, the door to the bedroom opened, and a young girl appeared, with doe brown eyes and a mane of red hair.

"Ginny!" Mia said, her smile growing bigger.

"Hi Mia!" Ginny said as she hurried over and gave the brunette a big hug. "Hi Harry! I thought I heard your voice."

"I think everyone's heard it by now," Mia stated, giving Harry a playful smirk while he huffed. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, for the most part," Ginny replied. "Oh, you guys don't need to bother with the ears—Mum's put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."

"How do you know?" George asked.

"Tonks told me how to find out," Ginny answered, plopping herself down on one of the beds. "I've tried throwing Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs, and they just wouldn't go through."

"Shame," Fred sighed in defeat. "I would've liked to hear what Snape's been up to."

"Snape?" Mia said. "Don't tell me he's a part of the Order too."

"Unfortunately," Ron muttered.

"Git," Fred added lightly.

"Oh come on," Mia groaned. "There should be a written law that we don't have to see certain people before term even starts."

"George and I actually tried that one time," Fred said. "Didn't get far with it though."

"I wonder why," Ginny said with an amused eye roll.

"You know he's on our side now," Hermione pointed out reprovingly.

"Doesn't stop him from being a git," Ron snorted. "The way he looks at us when he sees us…"

"Bill doesn't like him either," Ginny said.

"Does anyone like him?" Mia asked.

"Doubt it."

"Bill's here?" Harry asked. "I thought he was in Egypt?"

"Not anymore," Ginny replied. "He got a desk job here to help with the Order."

"And giving old Fleur some private English lessons," George smirked while Fred sniggered.

"Fleur Delacour?" said Mia.

"The one and only," Fred said.

"Charlie's in it too, though he's still in Romania," Ginny continued. "Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible."

"But couldn't Percy do that?" Harry suggested. Almost immediately, all the Weasleys and Hermione shared dark looks with one another, ranging from annoyance to pure anger.

"What's wrong?" Mia said.

"Whatever you do, do not mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad," Ron said.

"Why?"

Ron and his siblings began telling both Mia and Harry the fallout that had happened between Percy and Mr. Weasley only weeks ago. Percy had come home claiming that he had been promoted at work, to be Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic. The idea from the start seemed a bit fishy, since Percy had gotten into a little bit of trouble for not realizing that Crouch had "gone mad," according to the Ministry's version of the tale. Fudge and many others still didn't believe Harry's story about Voldemort returning, and have set themselves against anyone who was friendly with either him or Dumbledore. Mr. Weasley tried to explain his concerns with his son, suggesting that Fudge may have been trying to use Percy as a way to spy on the family, or Dumbledore. Percy had been infuriated at that, and started shouting all kinds of terrible things at his father, such as the reason they were poor was because he never had any ambition and a lousy reputation at the Ministry, due to his obsession with Muggles, and that if they were going to be traitors and run around with Dumbledore, he would let it be known that he was not a part of the family anymore. Upon hearing this, Mia gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in absolute shock. How could Percy do such a thing? No matter what their differences were, you should never turn your back on your family! She never got along with him as well as other members of his family, but she couldn't believe he would do something like that.

"I can't believe that," Mia whispered as she lowered her hand. "Why wouldn't he believe that Voldemort's back? Surely he wouldn't think you all just decided to tell a funny joke and parade it down the streets?"

"He said that the only proof we had was Harry's word," Hermione said. "And I suppose that wasn't good enough for him. He just believes what the Prophet says."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. Everyone looked at him warily.

"Haven't you been reading the paper?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Either of you?"

"Not cover to cover," Harry replied, confused. "If there was anything about Voldemort it would be front page news, wouldn't it?"

"It's sort of been the same with me," Mia admitted. "I would get through the first few pages, seeing if there was any big news, but if I didn't find anything I would just put it aside. I guess my mind was a bit preoccupied. Why?"

"Harry's name is mentioned a few times," Ginny answered her. "Not on the front page, or any big articles, just here and there. Mostly going off of what Rita Skeeter said."

"But I thought she wasn't writing anymore?" Mia said.

"She's not," Hermione assured with some satisfaction. "So far she's kept up her end of the deal, not like she has any choice in the matter. But her earlier stories are what they're going off of to try to do what they're doing now."

As if things couldn't get any better, they explained how the Prophet has been writing that everything Harry has said about Voldemort returning was nothing but a lie, and that all he wants was even more attention and for his fame to continue. Mia's mouth dropped open as she and Harry were told how the media was slaughtering his name as well as Dumbledore's, calling him a liar and not even bothering to mention the fact that they were attacked by Dementors, probably hoping to wait until they could expel Harry and show the world what a nasty brat he was. By the time they were done speaking, Mia's mouth was set into a thin line, much like Professor McGonagall's, her hands were balled into fists, and her eyes were blazing.

"Are they stupid?!" she exclaimed.

"Voldemort killed my parents!" Harry said hotly. "I'm famous because he murdered my family and couldn't kill me! Why would anyone think I enjoy that?!"

"How could they—those idiotic—"Mia stuttered. "Oh, those wretched cowards! They're so blinded by fear they can't accept the truth? Harry is _not_ a liar! Sure, he gets a pat on the back for all the good he's done, but the second he says something they don't want to hear they say he's mad? Those blasted hypocrites!"

"Wonderful Mia darling, you're almost as loud as Harry," Fred noted encouragingly.

"It's so good to have you back with us," George sighed with a grin. "We sure have missed your little rants, haven't we, Fred?"

"It's so cute when they rant together," Fred nodded.

"Oh shush, you two!" Mia said. "I'm not done yet."

"Well, you better be, because I think someone's coming up the stairs," Ginny said. They all fell silent for a moment as, indeed, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming up the landing.

"Uh oh," Fred muttered, quickly reeling in the Extendable Ears before he and George disappeared with a crack. Mere seconds later, Mrs. Weasley came inside the room, telling them all that it was time for dinner now that the meeting was over. She told Ginny to go and wash her hands, as, unknown to her, they were stained with residue from the Dungbombs. Once the two of them left, Mia saw Harry look over at Ron and Hermione and sigh heavily.

"Look…" he started, but Hermione interrupted.

"We knew the both of you would be angry with us," she said softly. "And we really don't blame you at all. But please understand, we tried to persuade Dumbledore—"

"Yeah, we know," Harry said grudgingly. Mia gave him a look and elbowed his shoulder.

"We just don't like being kept in the dark," she stated. "It makes us feel like no one trusts us."

"We do trust you," Ron assured her. "Things are just…"

"Complicated," Mia finished, sighing as well. "We get it. I think I can speak for both of us when we say we're not happy about it, at all, but I do understand because I honestly don't know what I would have done if I were in the same position."

"Yeah, you do," Ron deadpanned with a snicker. "You would have told everyone to kiss your arse and scribbled a note to Harry on the first piece of parchment you could find."

Mia glared at him but her face burned a bright shade of red, making all them all laugh, including Harry, which made her happy despite the situation.

"Come on," she mumbled, heading towards the door. "Your Mum's waiting for us."

"Aww, you're cute when you're embarrassed," Ron teased.

"Watch it, Weasley!" Mia called over her shoulder. "Remember, I can create something incredibly nasty for you with one of my many experiments I have stowed away in my trunk!"

"Hang on, Mia," Harry said, causing her to pause before she reached the door. "Ron, Ginny, Hermione, can you give us a minute?"

The three of them looked at each other in slight puzzlement before they agreed and headed out of the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Mia looked back at Harry, who had stood from where he was sitting on the bed and shifted uneasily from one foot to another, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked him. He sighed and looked up at her, guilt shining in his eyes.

"Is it true?" he said. "Would you really have told me what was going on if you knew?"

"Yes," Mia said after a few brief seconds. "As much as I hate the idea of disobeying Dumbledore, I hate keeping things from you even more. You deserve answers more than anyone. If they had found a way to safely pass information to me, I would have told you."

Instead of lifting his spirits, this only seemed to make him sad.

"How are you not angry with me?" he said.

"What?"

"I've ignored you for weeks, I've kept my distance when you begged me not to, I would've rather worked things out myself than talk to you. I—I've left you alone. All you ever do is help me, even after I…"

"Harry, stop," Mia said, taking a few steps closer to him. "I'm not going to lie to you—I was angry. I was very angry with you, and frustrated that you refused to let me be with you during a time when you shouldn't have been alone. After Cedric died I knew you needed time, but you can't do this to yourself. Being alone, all that will do is make things worse. After a while, I was more sad than anything else. I felt helpless, I knew you were upset and confused, yet I couldn't do anything. Why?"

"I just…I can't get him out of my head," Harry said, swallowing. "That night, the graveyard, the Death Eaters, everything. It's like a movie, playing over and over again. What I saw, I didn't think anyone could understand, and I didn't want to put that on anyone else, especially you. I saw things I wish I could forget, and I wanted it all to go away."

"It will," Mia said reassuringly. "I know it's hard to believe, and maybe I'm wrong since I've never experienced anything like what you went through, but I'm sure it will pass in time, at least the pain from it. But keeping it inside where it festers will make it last even longer. I meant what I said Harry—no matter what happens in the future I'll still be here for you."

"You shouldn't be," Harry mumbled.

"But I am," Mia countered, with a determined fierceness in her tone. "So don't ever do anything that stupid again."

Harry nodded, and he smiled a little at her. A true, genuine smile that Mia hadn't seen in quite some time. She smiled back at him after rolling her eyes, and then she went forward to give him a hug, placing her chin on his shoulder.

"Thanks Mia," he said, returning the hug. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she said. "Just do me a favor? Next time you plan on screaming like that can you give me a heads up so I can get some ear plugs?"

Harry chuckled a bit at that and gave her an extra squeeze, making a warm, soothing feeling spread through her body. However, before either one of them could say anything else, there was a rather loud crash that came from somewhere downstairs, and they broke apart, their attention going towards the door.

 _"Tonks!"_ came the exasperated cry of Mrs. Weasley. After a quick glance at each other, Mia and Harry darted out of the room and hurried down the stars, trying to see what all the commotion was about. With Mia in the front, they reached the lower level, where Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the others were standing with their hands over their ears and Tonks was getting to her feet from where it looked as if she had tripped over an umbrella stand and sent it tumbling to the floor along with herself. All at once, the dark, grimy curtains on the wall flew open, and Mia let out a startled yelp at what lay behind them. It was a life portrait of one of the most horrible-looking women she had ever seen, with yellowish skin, cold dark eyes, a thin face, and clawed hands. The moment she set her eyes upon them, she started screeching like a banshee, her voice echoing through the entire house.

 _"Filth, scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befile the house of my fathers—"_

The woman's screaming woke up the other portraits in the house, and soon it was a shouting match, so loud that they all had to cover their ears while Lupin tried pulling the curtains closed and Mrs. Wealsey went to stun the other portraits. As the shouting continued, the door facing them suddenly burst open and a man wearing black robes, with long dark hair and piercing gray eyes charged forward, glaring angrily at the portrait of the woman. Mia was stunned to see that it was none other than Harry's Godfather and wanted fugitive, Sirius Black. Sirius went to help Lupin in drawing the curtains closed, yelling at the woman to shut up, and when she saw him, her volume reached new heights and she glared at him with the purest loathing, calling him a blood-traitor and abomination. With a final tug, Sirius and Lupin finally managed to close the curtains and then there was silence once more in the hall.

"Hello Harry," Sirius greeted grimly. "I see you've met my mother. Hi there, Mia."

"Hi Griff," Mia said happily, giving him a smile.

"You're not going to stop calling me that, are you?" he asked, though the corners of his mouth lifted a bit.

"Nope," Mia replied simply. "I liked it, you picked it, therefore it's your pet name."

"You have a _pet name_?" Tonks giggled. "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm—"

"Don't you dare say it," Lupin said sternly, giving Sirius a look.

"That was your mother?" Harry asked in shock.

"Yeah, that's my dear old mum all right," Sirius said with a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes. "We've been trying to get her down for a month now, but it won't budge. Knowing her she probably placed a permanent sticking charm on it, so the best we can do is just cover her up."

"But how come there's a portrait of your mother here?" Harry asked as they started making their way down to the kitchen.

"Hasn't anyone told you? This was my parent's house," Sirius replied. "Seeing as I'm the last Black left, though, it's mine now. I offered it to Dumbledore as Headquarters for the Order…about the only useful thing I've been able to do."

"This is your house?" Mia asked, crossing her arms over her chest and looking around as Sirius led them down a flight of stairs that led down into the kitchens.

"It's been empty for years, just rotting away. We're currently trying to clean it up as best we can to make it inhabitable," Sirius explained. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he led them through a door which took them into a huge room that reached far over their heads, with walls made of gray stone, a hardwood floor, and a long wooden table crammed with many chairs, probably for member of the Order. Black iron pots and pans hung from the ceiling, and a giant roaring fire gave light to the room, along with many candles floating along the walls, much like the ones at Hogwarts. At the far end of the table, Mia, could see Mr. Weasley talking with his eldest son, Bill, who was cleaning up all the parchment and empty wine glasses. There was also a lump lying on the table, which, upon closer inspection, Mia realized was a man. Mr. Weasley greeted her and Harry cheerfully when he saw them, shaking both of their hands as Bill offered one as well, vanishing all the parchment with a flick of his wand. The man lying on the table turned out to be Mundungus Fletcher, the man who was supposed to be watching Harry back at Privet Drive before the Dementors attacked. Sirius promptly shoved him awake and the man nearly fell off the table, grunting sleepily. When he got his bearings together, he said hello to Harry and apologized for what had happened.

It was then that Mrs. Weasley addressed them all, saying that if they wanted to eat, she needed a hand, since they had such a big group. In a matter of minutes, the kitchen was filled with the sound of knives chopping meats and vegetables, bubbling water in the dangling cauldron over the fire, plates setting themselves down on the table along with goblets by themselves, and silverware clanking together. Mia, feeling a bit restless, lended a hand in preparing the meal, doing whatever she could to help while Harry sat at the table with Sirius and Mundungus. She helped Hermione and Ginny grab some more plates from the dresser, which held many fine china made of silver and gold. Mia noted that most of it was professionally Goblin-made, painted with creative images and so very smooth to the touch.

"Mia?" Hermione muttered softly to her. "I really am sorry about keeping everything from you and Harry."

"Don't worry about it, Mione," Mia muttered back with a smile. "I do understand, and you were right…I wouldn't keep anything you would have told me from Harry."

"Are things all right between you two?" Hermione asked. "When you wrote to me, I know things weren't exactly…"

"Everything's okay," Mia answered her. "He's apologized, but to be honest, there's really nothing to be sorry for. I wish he would have come to me, but he needed time to sort things out. Still does, actually."

"I hope he realizes how lucky he is to have you," Hermione stated.

"He has all of us," Mia corrected, glancing over her shoulder at her best friend, who was smiling and laughing with his godfather. "With everything you've told us, I have a feeling this is only the tip of the iceberg. Things are bound to get even harder, but we'll get through them just like we always have."

"Together," Hermione put in with a small smile.

HPOV

After a little while with some catching up with Sirius, and a close catastrophe—in which Fred and George enchanted some silverware, the stew pot, and bread board to come flying at the table at full speed, causing Harry, Sirius and Mundungus to hit the deck, followed by some screaming from Mrs. Weasley about being irresponsible with their magic—everyone was finally seated at the long kitchen table and content with eating a delicious supper. Soon enough the clinking of spoons and bowls was replaced by intense conversations, laughing at funny stories, and giggles from Mia, Hermione and Ginny as they watched Tonks morph her face into hilarious expressions, changing her nose from that of a duck to a pig in all of ten seconds. For a while everything seemed perfectly normal. Mundungus was telling Ron and the twins a story about how he fooled a wizard into buying back the frogs Mundungus had stolen from in the first place, much to the disapproval of Mrs. Weasley, while Bill and Mr. Weasley were talking quietly to themselves about the progress of persuading goblins to join the Order's side in the upcoming fight against Voldemort. For the first time in weeks, Harry was actually beginning to enjoy himself as he sat and ate with all his friends, his godfather, and people he considered his family.

"Mia dear, were your parents all right with you coming here to stay with us?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"As okay as they could be, I guess," Mia replied. "I know they weren't very happy about what had happened—I could tell it really scared them, and I don't think they like the idea of me out and about with everything that's happened. I'll be lucky if they don't ship me off to a new school in America."

"Wait, what?" Harry said, feeling like a boulder had been dropped into his stomach.

"What do you mean?" Ginny said in surprise.

"It's not serious!" Mia quickly assured them. "Not really…I just had a major fight with my parents when they found out about what really happened in June, and after the Dementors attacked. My dad was considering having us move at one point…"

"Move?" Harry repeated in a somewhat hollow voice.

"Do you think he's still considering it?" Hermione asked. "When you told me about it, it seemed serious."

"You knew?" Harry said.

"Um, yeah well, Mia wrote to me about it," Hermione said slowly, her cheeks turning pink.

"I'm sure your father was just worried, Mia," Sirius said calmly. "For Muggles, it's harder to understand the dangers, and that can be a very scary thought. But they also know Hogwarts is very safe, I'm sure they'll feel better once they've had time to think."

"I know, I was just so angry with them," Mia muttered. "I'm glad they don't know exactly where the Burrow is, because that's where I said I would go if they tried to make me move."

"Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of running away though?" Ron said.

"Not if I lock myself in Fred and George's room," Mia answered simply. "You guys would protect me, right?"

"To our last breaths, little Mia," Fred replied gallantly, bowing his head to her.

"We have yet to see anyone who can get past our door, at least without having purple skin for two weeks," George added in with a grin.

"I'm still mad about that, you know," Ginny said with a scowl.

"I told you not to go in there," Ron stated through a mouthful of bread. "You should have just left the stupid bear in there."

"Ron, don't talk with your mouth full," Mrs. Weasley scolded.

Everyone got a chuckle at Ron's expense, though Harry's was half-hearted. Mia's parents were thinking about moving? For a moment Harry was unnerved that Mia had told Hermione about this and didn't mention a word to him, but he suddenly realized that it must have happened during the time when he wasn't talking to her. Another wave of guilt crashed through him as he remembered how selfish he was. Mia had tried keeping touch with him over the summer, but he always pushed her away. It made him feel even worse that Mia had had such a huge argument with her parents, and she really didn't have anyone to talk to afterwards, considering Hermione probably couldn't put too much into her letters anyway. Harry and Mia always confided in one another whenever they were upset about something, and knowing he wasn't there when she was having a difficult summer as well didn't help things.

"What is it, Harry?" Sirius asked quietly.

"What?"

"I've seen that look on your father's face quite a bit. What's bothering you?"

Harry hesitated at first, but then he let out a sigh and then proceeded to tell Sirius in a low voice how he hadn't exactly been fair to Mia for the past month, and his guilt over shutting her out. She had been through a traumatic experience too, what with being kidnapped and poisoned, and she was probably the only person who could even begin to imagine the horrors Harry had to face the night Cedric was killed by Voldemort.

"She said she wanted to give me time, but I know that I was hurting her feelings too," Harry finished, playing with his stew. "I thought I was better off alone, but it just made me miss talking to someone."

"That's understandable," Sirius said, nodding. "You went through something no one should have, and it's impossible for anyone to put themselves in your shoes. But you know Harry, it wasn't just the fact that Mia would have told you about the Order if she knew that Dumbledore wanted it kept from the both of you. Dumbledore didn't want what happened looming over the two of you, and he figured having a good friend with you to take your mind off of everything would be for the best. There were times when Remus and James cheered me up on my darkest days, and I was grateful for that. Just remember that no matter how bad things may seem, you have a very concerned friend living across the street."

Harry went quiet at that as he looked over towards Mia, who was staring in awe at Tonks, who had turned her hair a bright neon blue with vibrant purple eyes.

"Does it hurt when you morph?" Mia asked in curiosity.

"Sometimes, if I'm doing a full transformations," Tonks told her. "It takes a lot of concentration, and depending on what changes I make, it can be a bit uncomfortable at least."

"It certainly comes in handy though," Lupin smiled. "Although Tonks is a very skilled fighter—Mad-Eye wouldn't take just anyone under his wing."

"Stop it Remus, you're making me blush!" Tonks chided playfully, her hair once again changing back to bubblegum pink. The rest of supper went by smoothly, and eventually everyone had empty plates and full stomachs.

"Nearly time for bed, I think," Mrs. Weasley said with a yawn.

"Not just yet, Molly," Sirius said as he turned to Harry. "I'm actually a bit surprised you haven't started asking questions about Voldemort yet."

All at once, the relaxed, drowsy feeling that was settling across the room vanished into thin air. Everyone was now alert and wary, looking at both Harry and Sirius.

"I did," Harry said with a frown. "I asked Ron and Hermione, but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so—"

"And they're quite right," Mrs. Weasley said, a stern look in her eyes as her hands curled upon the table. "You're too young."

"Since when did someone have to be a part of the Order to ask questions?" Sirius asked. "Harry been trapped in that Muggle house for a month, he deserves to know what's going on."

There was an instant protest from Fred and George, who heatedly objected to Harry knowing anything when they had been trying to figure out what was going on with the Order for weeks. Sirius calmly explained that it was up to their parents about what they knew, but it was different when it came to Harry. Mrs. Weasley had argued that it wasn't up to Sirius what Harry needed to know, and the atmosphere quickly became tense and everyone was either staring at Sirius or Mrs. Weasley, sensing the danger. From Sirius' point of view, Harry may only be fifteen, but he has seen and faced more dangers then they could have imagined, including going up against Voldemort himself, therefore, he deserves to know what had been going on. On the other hand Mrs. Weasley made the argument that Harry was far to young to know anything, and that he should not need to know more than he should, that he wouldn't understand.

"He's not a child, Molly!" Sirius snapped impatiently at one point.

"He's not an adult either!" Mrs. Weasley said. "He's not _James,_ Sirius!"

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks," Sirius stated coldly.

"I'm not sure you do. The way you speak and act around him, it's like you've got your best friend back!"

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry.

"What's wrong Harry is that you are not your father, no matter how much you may look like him, and those responsible for you should do well to remember that!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"Do you mean to say that I'm an irresponsible godfather?" Sirius demanded.

"What I mean to say is you act too rashly for someone your age!" Mrs. Weasley spat angrily.

The battle between Mrs. Weasley and Sirius went on for a few more minutes, with the fiery redheaded woman looking for support from her husband or anyone who would see sense. However Mr. Weasley, as well as Lupin, felt that Harry should know the facts. Not all of them, but just enough so he was up to date and so that he would hear what he needed to from them, and not half-truths or gossip from anyone else. It was here that Mrs. Weasley knew she was going to be outvoted on the matter, and she reluctantly agreed, stating she only wanted Harry's best interests at heart. Sirius told her that Harry wasn't her son, to which she shot back that he was as good as and didn't have anyone else, as Sirius was too busy being preoccupied in Azkaban. The look in Sirius' eyes was lethal and cold, and he would have risen from his chair if Lupin hadn't kept him in place and scolded Mrs. Weasley, saying that she wasn't the only one who cared for Harry. All this time, Mia and the others were watching the exchange with open mouths and wide eyes, not daring to say a word. Harry himself was touched that Mrs. Weasley thought of him as a son, but he was indignant at how she was treating him like a child. He wants to know what's been going on. He deserves to know! He stole a glance over at Mia during this horrible silence that engulfed the room and saw that she was eyeing everyone warily. She caught his eye after a couple seconds, and the two of them had a silent conversation. After a few moments Harry said he wanted to know what's been happening, and it seemed settled things. Mrs. Weasley, very displeased, told Ron, Hermione, Mia, the twins, and Ginny to all go upstairs, and there was an instant uproar.

"We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together angrily.

"If Harry's allowed, why can't I?!" Ron yelled.

"Mum, I want to!" Ginny wailed in protest. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see Mia with her arms over her chest, remaining quiet, although he could tell she was itching to add in her yells of disagreement as well, but would never dare act on it. She respected the Weasleys too much, as did Hermione, who was looking rather anxious.

"NO!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, bolting to her feet with her face bright red. "I forbid it!"

"Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," Mr. Weasley said tiredly. "They are of age, they're legally adults now."

"Oh fine, but Ron—"

"Harry will tell me, Mia and Hermione everything you say anyway!" Ron cut in. "Won't—won't you?"

Despite having been left in the dark for weeks, Harry took one look at his friends pleading faces and he knew the answer.

"Of course I will," he said, making all three of them beam at him.

"Fine! Fine! Ginny—BED!"

Ginny was outraged that she was the only one being forced to leave, and she made sure her frustration was known as she stormed up the stairs, yelling and raging at her mother and causing the portrait of Mrs. Black to start her screaming tirade once again. Lupin had to briefly leave in order to close the curtain again, but once he returned, Sirius sighed, threw one last glare at Mrs. Weasley, and turned to face Harry.

"Okay, Harry…what do you want to know?"

...


	4. Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

**Hi everyone. I know that this chapter is long overdue, and I apologize for that, but I've been going through a very difficult time for the past month, and it's not really getting any better. I try my best to work on my stories, but to be honest my heart really hasn't been in it, and I find myself not really up for typing sometimes. I'll try my best to do better with the updates, I hate feeling so lousy, but I can't really guarantee any fast updates anymore (not that they were ever fast to begin with). I just want to thank you guys for sticking around and putting up with me, and apologize once again for taking so long. Please don't worry, I'm keeping my promise of not abandoning this story or the next ones coming up, I just need a little time to fix things going on in my stressed out life. I love you all so much, you all mean a lot to me, and I hope this chapter is at least decent. Please review and tell me what you all think, and I'll get the next one up as soon as I can. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Four: Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

HPOV

It was mere hours later that Harry found himself lying on his bed, staring blankly into the darkness of the vast ceiling in the room he was sharing with Ron. So far it was quiet, but he didn't want to risk seeing if Ron was asleep at the moment, because he had heard the sound of footsteps walking past their door twice now, more than likely Mrs. Weasley's, checking to make sure they had all gone to bed. She had warned them all after the meeting that they had better not be talking and go straight to bed, but Harry had learned enough that his mind was currently spinning with thoughts and questions he so desperately wanted answers for.

After Mrs. Weasley had lost the fight of having them all out of any business of the Order, Sirius had outright asked Harry what he had wanted to know. All at once, the questions he had been bottling up came spilling out of his mouth, the most important one being what Voldemort was currently up to. He admitted to them all that he had been watching for any sort of news on the Muggle television, but he hadn't seen anything. The answer was fairly simple—Voldemort wasn't doing anything at the moment. No mysterious deaths, tragic accidents, vandalism, nothing. Sirius had said that Voldemort wanted to lay low, at least for the time being, and not draw attention to himself. When Harry had inquired why, Lupin replied that it would be dangerous for him. Voldemort's comeback didn't go exactly as planned, since Harry wasn't even supposed to survive their encounter, much less make it back to Hogwarts and start telling everyone of his return, especially Dumbledore, as the headmaster was rumored to be the only one the Dark Lord had ever feared. From what the Order could gather, Voldemort was biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment.

During this time, the Order had strong suspicions that he was attempting to build himself an army. If he even had a hope of going against the Ministry itself, he needed more than just a handful of his faithful Death Eaters. Bill had explained that in the past, Voldemort had huge numbers at his command, including willing and unwilling witches and wizards as well as dark creatures he had persuaded. As of right now the Order was taking measures to try and stop him from gaining more supporters, but it has been difficult because of the Ministry's adamant attitude and belief that Voldemort hasn't returned. It made convincing others of the danger even harder, as many people do not want to believe that the most evil dark wizard of all time has returned to full power. Cornelius Fudge was not making things any better, and he's terrified of what Dumbledore may be up to because, to Harry's astonishment, it appears that the Minister fears that Dumbledore may be plotting to overthrow him to take his job. This was met with incredulous stares from all those who were underage and what Harry assumed was an annoyed, sarcastic whisper from Mia to Hermione. For the Ministry, it's much easier to say that Dumbledore was an aging nutcase who's lying to stir up trouble rather than face the horrible truth of Voldemort's return, along with all the trouble that would come along with it. The thought of this angered Harry to no end. How could the Ministry and Fudge be so ignorant about this? If they keep on rejecting what has happened and refuse to warn people, it will make them easier targets if they're not on their guard.

To make things even worse, the Ministry has been working hard to discredit Dumbledore, since he is the only one who is able to openly announce Voldemort's return and warn members of the wizarding community, seeing as Sirius is a wanted man, Lupin is a resented werewolf, and Tonks and Kingsley are needed as spies within the Ministry. No matter how much they tried, the Order found itself facing many obstacles, making it harder for them to form a proper plan to prepare for anything Voldemort had planned. Sirius had even mentioned about Voldemort having other plans to concentrate on besides recruiting for his army. When Harry asked what it was, he saw both Sirius and Lupin exchange a look before vaguely saying that Voldemort was after something, something like a weapon that he didn't have the last time he was in power. However, before Harry could ask what it was, Mrs. Weasley had finally put her foot down. During the entire conversation, she had stood in a corner, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, a deep, disapproving frown on her face, but the moment it had switched to this mysterious weapon, she had put an end to it all. She stated quite clearly that the children had heard enough for one night, and that they were all to go straight up to bed, no arguments, although Fred and George certainly tried.

Now, Harry just laid there in bed, going over everything he had learned tonight and frowning. He now knew a bit of what exactly was going on—Voldemort was lying low for now, and recruiting more followers while the Ministry remained oblivious. And what was this weapon that Voldemort was after? Surely it can't be something worse than the Avada Kedavra…could it? Sighing deeply, Harry knew that it was no use trying to figure it all out now. After the day that he's had, he was exhausted, and from what he could tell, Mrs. Wesley was going to do everything in her power to keep them busy tomorrow. With this thought heavy in his mind, Harry rolled over onto his side, closed his eyes and then eventually drifted off to sleep.

It felt like he was only asleep for a few minutes before he was awakened by the sound of George's voice from the doorway to the bedroom, telling him and Ron to get dressed and come downstairs to eat breakfast. Still groggy from sleep, Harry and Ron got dressed before heading downstairs to the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley fixed them up eggs with bacon, potatoes and toast along with some strong tea, making sure they were being well fed before tackling the drawing room. Fred, George, and the girls were already there, loading up their plates. Harry took a seat across from Mia, who gave him a warm smile as she passed him a glass of orange juice.

"Morning sunshine," she greeted.

"Morning," Harry said, returning the smile.

"Morning Ron."

Ron answered with a rather large yawn, rubbing at his eyes and making Mia chuckle a bit.

"Still not a morning person, I see," she noted.

"You've only just figured this out?" Ginny asked. "How long have you known him?"

"Too long," Mia replied with a dramatic eye roll, causing Ron to glare at her sleepily.

"You were the one who let me in the compartment in our first year," he reminded her.

"I'm still contemplating that decision," Mia said slyly. "Because now I can't get rid of you."

"Well Mia darling, you know what they say," Fred said with a devilish grin. "Once you go red, you never go—"

" _Fred!"_ Mrs. Weasley scolded with narrow eyes.

"Sorry, Mum," Fred said while Mia and Harry laughed at Ron's cherry red face.

"Has anyone seen Sapphire?" Mia asked as she took a bite of her toast. "She slipped out of the room last night."

"I think I saw her wandering around with Crookshanks somewhere on the second floor," Mrs. Weasley answered.

"They've been spending quite a bit of time together, actually," Hermione stated with a smile.

"Oh no," Ron groaned. "This place is going to be crawling with tiny furry mutants by next month."

"And I'll make sure to train them to use you and Harry as pin cushions," Mia added in cheerfully. "Sapphire already claims Harry as her bed most of the time."

"Tell me about it, she owes me at least three new shirts," Harry muttered.

"I'll put it on her tab," Mia giggled. "At least they're getting along, she couldn't be bothered with him at first, remember?"

"It seems like taking late night rendezvous with an escaped convict is required for cats to start dating," Ron put in.

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked.

"Long story," Harry sighed.

"Involving two wonderfully clever felines," Mia said, beaming with pride at the thought of her precious pet.

"Well you lot better eat up fast, we have a lot to do before the afternoon sets in," Mrs. Weasley said as she walked around the table, making sure they all ate every last bit of food that was on their plates. Once everyone was done with breakfast, they all trudged down to the drawing room, which was located on the first floor, and the instant Harry stepped inside, he coughed a bit merely from the ancient dust that was lingering in the air. The room itself was very spacious with a vast ceiling, and clutter stacked against the walls, collecting grim and dust from over a decade of standing still, never used and nearly forgotten. There were glass cabinets filled with odd and mostly dark-looking items, aged and filthy tapestries hanging low on the walls, emerald green carpet and rugs that emitted clouds of dust whenever someone walked on them, and battered, torn up curtains that were buzzing softly. Mrs. Weasley handed out pieces of cloth to them all, as they were using a highly toxic spray to rid the room of all the doxies, even bringing along an antidote in case anyone got any in their eyes. She explained to them that they had to start spraying immediately that way the doxies will be paralyzed and they could collect them all in the silver bin she had brought with them.

Once they were all set and ready to go, armed with their spray bottles and had their faces covered, they got to work paralyzing all the doxies that flew at them when they pulled back the curtains. They were odd creatures, very small with four arms, clawed hands, their bodies covered in thick black fur, sharp pinchers on their face as well as sharp teeth with shiny beetle-like wings. At one point, one of them went for Mia's hair and she shrieked as it started to pull.

"Ah, get this bugger off me!" she said.

"Hold still," George said, reaching out and grabbing the doxy with his fingers while Ron took careful aim and sprayed it with the Doxycide. It went limp immediately and fell into George's hand. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw George slip the doxy into his pocket while his mother's back was turned, giving him a sly wink. Harry had no doubt that he and Fred were going to use the doxy for something involving their plans to open up their own joke shop. The twins had told him they were doing all kinds of experiments on a new snack box filled with goodies that will purposely make you sick, but only enough to get you out of class. He remembered at the end of last year, when he had forced both Fred and George to take the winnings he had earned in the tournament. He refused to take it, feeling that it should have been Cedric's to begin with, and it felt more like blood money than anything else. The twins had profusely expressed their gratitude for this, and were currently making good use of it.

Finally, after hours of getting rid of all the doxies from the curtains, the bin was filled to the brink with them, and the curtains themselves were rather limp without them all hiding behind it. Deciding to take on the other objects cluttered inside the room after lunch, Mrs. Weasley told them all to wait for her while she went downstairs to make some sandwiches as well as to find out who had just rang the doorbell, causing the portrait of Mrs. Black to begin screaming and ranting. While they were waiting, Harry looked over to see Mia observing the items stowed away in the glass cabinets.

"Look at all of these things," she muttered, peering through the dusty glass but not daring to open it. "I had heard that the Black family collected dark items, but this is…"

"Weird?" Harry put in.

"More or less," Mia said, pointing out a red cushion holding an oval shaped crystal that seemed to be tinted with black. "See this? I saw a picture of it in one of the books Professor Binns assigned us for extra credit work. These crystals are extremely rare and extremely powerful, dangerous at the best of times, and they were only made during the medieval times, so the Black family has been around at least since then."

"What exactly is it?" Ginny said.

"A Sin Crystal," Mia replied, frowning at it. "It's effects are similar to a Dementor's. The crystal feeds off of a person's sins, or darkness, their deepest secrets and fears, and drives them to a point of madness where they eventually commit suicide if they wear it or hold it for too long. The first one was made by a dark wizard named Malvik Ruskov in 1383 and was a useful torture method during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries."

"Should we be worried that you know so much about this?" Ginny said apprehensively.

"No, I just like scaring the daylights out of you guys with my random facts," Mia replied, her frown turning into a smirk.

"You're mental," Fred stated bluntly, turning his gaze to Harry. "How on earth has she not scared you off yet?"

"She's funny sometimes," Harry said with a shrug and a grin.

"Glad to know I amuse you, Harry," Mia said, glaring playfully. "And I'm not mental—my mother had me tested."

Hermione just shook her head while Ginny smiled and all the boys laughed out loud at that. Mia continued to glare at them until her smirk grew even wider, her eyes glinting mischievously. That look was enough to have Harry cease laughing—he knew that look all too well to know that she was planning something devious. His suspicions were confirmed when Mia reached into the pocket of her jeans and withdrew a couple dungbombs.

"Oh no," Ron said, his eyes widening.

"You wouldn't!" Harry stuttered.

"Mione, Ginny, you might want to stand back," Mia warned.

"No, mercy!" Fred exclaimed.

"Don't!" cried George. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as Mia reeled her hand back and launched both of the Dungbombs at their feet before they even had a chance to blink. In the next second, clouds of disgusting fog encased them, sending Harry into a coughing, gagging fit, trying to hide his face within his shirt while trying not to be sick. The smell was putrid, and he knew that this alone would have his clothes smelling foul for hours. By the time the fog finally faded, his face was scrunched up as Ron and the twins were loudly vocalizing their disgust and agitation, their noses twitching at the scent coming from their clothes, their hands over their mouths. Their groans were cut short by the sound of Mia's laughter, along with the stifled giggles of Ginny and Hermione revolted expression.

"What was that for?" Ron demanded.

"You know better than to laugh at me!" Mia said, her eyes still shining. "You asked for it."

"You just made a fatal mistake, dear Mia," George said, shaking his head and glancing around at Fred, George, and Harry. "I say our little Mia needs to be taught a lesson, don't you think chaps?"

"Absolutely," Harry agreed while the other two nodded, giving Mia a devilish grin. The brunette's giddy face instantly fell as Harry and the other boys started moving in on her. Realizing what was happening, she squealed and tried to make a break for it, running over to Hermione and Ginny and making a wall out of them, hiding behind their backs.

"Save me!" she pleaded desperately to them.

"Hey, leave me out of this," Hermione countered, trying to control her giggling.

"You should know better than to try and out prank my brothers," Ginny added matter-of-factly.

"Traitors!" Mia hissed. Harry, seeing an opportunity, sneaked of to the side and around the girls while Ron and his brothers approached from the front.

"Come now, ladies," Fred said.

"We only want the treacherous little minx you've got hiding behind you, and we'll be on our way," George said brightly. Before anyone could have a chance to say anything, Harry seized the moment by hurrying forward and wrapped his arms around Mia's waist, pulling her back and laughing at her yelp of surprise.

"No! Harry!" she grunted, trying to pull herself free from his iron clasp on her.

"Looks like I've caught you," he announced, holding her tight against him. "Now you're going to pay for your little stunt."

"Why you scrawny little—"

Mia's retort was cut short as a loud, enraged and screeching voice suddenly reached their ears through the open door, echoing from downstairs.

"WE ARE NOT HOLDING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS, MUNDUNGUS! THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULUS, WE HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING IN STOLEN CAULDRONS!"

"I love it when Mum's shouting at someone else," Fred said with a smile. "It makes such a nice change."

Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley's screams once again set off the portrait of Mrs. Black, and their voices collided with each other throughout the entire house. As Fred went over to shut the door, Mia elbowed Harry in the gut while he was distracted. Her plan worked, for he let out a loud "oof!" and she managed to break free from him, giving him a hard smack on the shoulder to go along with it. Before he could even give her an indignant glare, Harry caught movement out of the corner of his eyes as turned to see something slink into the room before Fred could fully close the door.

It was a mangy looking creature, covered from head to toe in dirt and grim, the rag-like loincloth it wore around its waist appearing no better. Harry suddenly realized with a lot that this had to be the house –elf he heard Ron and Hermione mention earlier: Kreacher. Kreacher, like all other house elves, was very short, with a bald head, white hairs growing in his large, bat-like ears, a short pointed nose, and grubby, wrinkled gray skin all over his body, making it look as if his entire being was sagged. Kreacher made no notice of them as he entered the room, muttering under his breath about the vile and filth that had been let into his mistress' home, such as Mudbloods, werewolves, and traitors. It was here that Fred closed the door to the room with a loud snap and greeted the elf quite loudly. Kreacher feigned surprise and bowed low to Fred, still muttering insults under his breath. As he straightened up, he glared around at them all until his eyes landed on Mia and Harry.

"Strangers here, Kreacher does not know, what others have they let into my poor mistress' house?" he grumbled.

"These are our friends, Kreacher," Hermione introduced softly. "Mia Thatcher, and Harry Potter."

"Gah!" the house elf sneered in distaste. "Here the Mudblood speaks to Kreacher as if they were friends!"

"Don't call her a Mudblood!" Ron and Ginny snapped hotly. Kreacher ignored them and turned his gaze to Harry.

"Harry Potter, they say he is…it must be true, for there is the scar. The boy who stopped the Dark Lord, though how he did it, Kreacher wonders…"

"What do you want Kreacher?" said George.

"Kreacher is cleaning," he replied.

"A likely story," came a sudden voice. Harry looked to see that Sirius had returned and was glowering at the elf with disgust, a hard frown set into his features. Kreacher went into a very low bow at the sight of him, calling him 'Master.' When Sirius asked what Kreacher was up to, he once again said that he was cleaning, all the while muttering under his breath that he had to save all the priceless Black Family treasures before they threw it all away, insulting Sirius all the while. Sirius snapped back at him, telling him not to bother trying to save the tapestry, as Mrs. Black was sure to have put a Permanent Sticking Charm on it.

"But believe me, if I find a way to get it down, I will get rid of it," Sirius threatened. "Now go away Kreacher, and I better not hear any more insults towards anyone in this house. And I better not hear you mutter that foul word to Hermione or Mia, understood?"

"Another?" Kreacher gasped, swerving his head over to Mia, his eyes wide. "More! More dirty blood in my mistress' home, oh the shame! What would she say to poor Kreacher?"

"I said go away!" Sirius said. Kreacher grudgingly shuffled out of the room, with Sirius closing the door behind him.

"Sirius please, he's not in his right state of mind," Hermione pleaded.

"He's been alone in this house for far too long, taking orders from my mother's portrait," Sirius said with a scowl. "But he always was nasty, even when I was a boy…to me, at least. Now then, I suggest we get some rest for a bit, Molly's on her way up with sandwiches for lunch."

…

For the next few days, Mrs. Weasley kept them all very busy with cleaning and decontaminating the house. They had to fight off everything from cursed wizards robes, to ghouls in the toilets, to attacking grandfather clocks. The drawing room along took three long days to finish, and afterwards they had to take on the dining room, and one of the studies on the upper floors. While they were going through one of the studies, Harry caught sight of Mia staring at a bookshelf at one point, filled to the brink with all kinds of volumes of different shapes and sizes, reminding him of the interior of Florish and Blotts.

"You and your books," he said as he came up next to her with a smirk.

"Be quiet, you," Mia replied with a smirk of her own. "You really don't want me to get started on your Firebolt, do you? Because I can name at least ten safety hazards off the top of my head right now—"

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass," Harry said immediately, causing Mia to laugh. "You thinking about asking Sirius to read some of these?"

"I would, if there wasn't a risk of them being highly cursed," Mia admitted, scanning her eyes over the spines with a tiny frown. "Besides, it seems the majority of these books hold contents of a slightly…darker subject. I think I would actually be scared to read some of these."

"Well there's a first," Harry chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Never thought I'd see the day where you or Hermione would have second thoughts about reading."

"Really funny, Harry," Mia said with a roll of her eyes. "Speaking of which, did you see McGonagall the other day?"

"Yeah," Harry answered with a grin. "You think we should show the others that picture you took of her in that Muggle dress?"

"Not Fred and George, if that gets out she'll have me in detention from now until we graduate," Mia replied, shaking her head with a giggle. "Did you do any of the assignments from her or Snape?"

"Some, while we were at Privet Drive," Harry confessed. "But not much lately, with everything that's going on."

"I get it," Mia mumbled. "I've been a bit distracted too. The hearing's in just a few more days."

Harry felt a familiar sense of anxiety and nerves hit him with full force, and he could practically feel his insides shrivel up at the mention of the hearing. For the majority of their stay, he has managed to take his mind off of the hearing, especially if he was kept busy, but the fear would quickly return to him and he would start to internally panic over what was to come. What was going to happen? Would the ministry hear what he has to say, or would they just expel him immediately? He knew that Mia was being called to testify, but would they listen to her either? She was the only one who was there as it was happening, and being Harry's best friend, it probably wouldn't change the ministry's view in his favor, something Ron bluntly mentioned the other night before receiving a sharp slap from Hermione. If Harry was expelled from Hogwarts…if he couldn't go back…

"Harry?" Mia called softly, bringing his mind back to the present. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," he said.

"I'm sure things will work out," she encouraged, putting on a brave smile. "You were in a life-threatening situation, you saved Dudley's life when you cast that Patronus."

At this point Mia placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder, giving him a grateful look.

"And mine too, as a matter of fact," she added. "I never did thank you for that, did I?"

"You don't have to," Harry protested. "I'd do it all again if I had to."

"I know you would, and that's exactly why I have to thank you," Mia argued. "I got cold feet, I couldn't even come up with a good memory to fend them off, but you risked yourself to save me and Dudley. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't acted. Thank you, Harry. You really are the best friend I could have asked for."

Harry smiled at her, noticing how her eyes took on a certain shine as she spoke, and he gave her a one armed hug.

"You're welcome," he said. It was silent for a moment until Mia spoke again.

"Have you thought about what would happen if they do expel you?" she asked quietly.

"Well," Harry started. "I asked Sirius if I could maybe live with him here if they do expel me."

"Really?"

"Yeah…is that strange?"

"No, not really," Mia replied with a sad smile. "It just shows how much you care for him, willing to be in this dreadful house just so you two can be together. It's sweet. Although I would still want full sleepover rights and random visit privileges though."

"Compared to what I've heard from Remus about you two, I think I wouldn't have much of a choice in that matter," Sirius put in as he strolled up to them, a sly grin on his face.

"Probably not," Mia shrugged, resulting in Harry laughing.

"You know, you two remind me a lot of James and myself when we were your age," Sirius stated, his face becoming reminiscent. "We were practically inseparable, and whenever I would come over for lunch, I usually ended up staying for the rest of the summer. His parents never minded though, they basically adopted me as a second son."

"His parents? You mean Harry's grandparents?" Mia asked.

"Yeah. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were some of the kindest people you've ever met, and popular in the wizarding community."

"What…what were their names?" Harry asked. Sirius stared at him for a second before replying.

"Fleamont and Euphemia," he said. "You never knew?"

"No," Harry said somewhat bitterly. "I barely know anything from my mum's side except for my aunt, much less anything from my dad's."

Probably sensing the slight tension that had formed around them, Mia quickly changed the subject, which Harry was very grateful for.

"What kind of stuff did you guys do when you were in school?" she asked. At her question, Sirius grinned broadly, making him seem twenty years younger.

"Well, there was one time—"

All of a sudden, there was a loud thump that came from the drawing room next door, followed by a loud meow.

"Sapphire," Mia muttered. "You guys finish with the story, I'll be right back."

Before they could say another word, Mia hurriedly walked across the room and left through the door, leaving it ajar behind her.

MPOV

Mia smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway to the next room, happy that she had an excuse to leave Harry and Sirius alone for a few moments. Despite everything that was going on and everything that happened, Mia could see it in Harry's eyes that he was very happy to be back in the company of his godfather, who was the closest thing to a father figure he had in his life. She could tell Sirius missed Harry as well, and she wanted to give them the chance to talk, and grow closer like they should have been from the start.

 _I really need to give Sapphire an extra treat later for this._

When she finally reached the door to the other room, she saw that it was already halfway open, whether from Sapphire or Kreacher, she couldn't be sure. Moving carefully, she slowly opened the door some more and peeked inside to see that this room was more of a seating area, with dusty and moldy furniture that was pitch black, along with rickety-looking couches with torn up and moth eaten gray cushions, and the corners of the ceiling decorated with elegant cobwebs. There were some bookcases in here too, although not nearly as much as the studies, and a couple display cases, where she could see that some of the objects that were sitting on them had been knocked over to the floor. Shaking her head with a sigh, Mia started looking around for her cat, making sure not to touch any of the items she found.

"Sapphire?" she softly called out. "Come on girl, where are you?"

In response to this, Mia heard a quiet and somewhat frightened meow that seemed to come from the towering shelf to her right. Mia walked over to it and, having inkling, got down on her hands and knees to look underneath the shelf, where the gap was just big enough where a small creature could fit underneath. Sure enough, Sapphire was crouched in the shadows staring around apprehensively, meowing.

"It's okay girl, I'm here," Mia said soothingly, reaching out for her. "Nothing's going to hurt you, come on."

Sapphire didn't seem to want to take that chance. Just as Mia's fingertips were inches away from her fur, she suddenly heard a strange noise that made her pause in her movements. It was an odd sound, almost like a combination of quiet whispers and the rustling of leaves, and it was so faint it was a wonder she heard it at all. Furrowing her eyebrows, Mia straightened up from her position on the floor and looked around, wondering where the noise was coming from. As she did a quick scan of the room, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Standing just opposite of her was a tall, silver framed, full body mirror that hung on the wall, casting her reflection back at her. Mia continued to stare at it as she slowly got to her feet and began walking over towards the mirror, her face scrunched up in puzzlement and curiosity. She stopped a fair distance away from the mirror, knowing full well that nothing was as it seemed in this house. Could this one work similar to the Mirror of Erised? Biting her lip, Mia, knowing this probably wasn't the best idea, risked a glance into the mirror.

To her immense surprise, she saw nothing except for her own reflection staring back at her. No tricks, no secret desire, no anything. Her face relaxed a bit at this, as she took in the beauty of the mirror with its decorative frame and spotless surface. When she turned her sight back to her reflection, she took a minute to really look at it, and just as she was about to turn away, something happened. While she had been staring into the mirror she saw something in there…or really, a shadow of something. It was like a faded image had appeared next to her reflection, as if she was standing in a different room, with different settings. She moved her face closer to the glass, squinting her eyes. In this room, there was nothing directly behind her except the opposite wall, yet in the mirror, she could see a faint dark image of what appeared to be the shape of a chair, sitting behind her to the left. To be perfectly honest, the image seemed almost translucent. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Mia moved closer until she was barely an inch in front of the mirror, and being so close to it, she realized that this mirror was the source of the noise she heard. Lifting her hand, she gently traced the outline of the chair against the cool glass, and was startled to see there was something else there as well. However before she could ponder over what it could be, Mia suddenly found that she couldn't take her hand off of the glass. Confused, Mia tried pulling it off, but it wouldn't budge at all.

"What the…" Mia muttered, grabbing hold of her wrist and desperately trying to yank it back, but it wouldn't give. Then, to Mia's horror, she felt the surface beneath her skin begin to shift until it was more of a liquid, and to her utter shock, the glass became like water and started engulfing her hand, sucking her into the mirror. Her confusion quickly turned to fear and Mia tried pulling back, but the magical force of the mirror was too strong, and soon enough her entire hand disappeared, and it was now taking her arm. Mia yelped in fright once she was elbow deep in the mirror, and because of how close she was, her leg was starting to go in as well.

"Help!" she called out in a panic, her arm fully consumed. "Someone help!"

She could hear footsteps thundering up the steps and down the hall, but at this point the mirror was quickly taking her in, with half her body disappearing through it in a matter of seconds. She craned her neck in an attempt to keep away from it, but her efforts were in vain. Both of her legs went through the glass, and the only part of her left in the sitting room was her face, neck, left shoulder and arm by the time the door was thrown the rest of the way open, and Sirius came charging inside with Tonks at his heels.

"Mia!" she exclaimed.

"Ton—"

Mia tried yelling for them, but her voice was lost as her face finally went through the liquid glass and was briefly encased in darkness. She could feel the brush of someone's fingertips against hers as they tried to take her hand, but they never had the chance, as the mirror finished swallowing her whole. Fear gripped Mia as she stood in this darkness that surrounded her, but it only lasted for a brief moment before she fell backwards, landing on a hard floor, and the darkness disappeared, most of it, anyway. With a soft grunt, Mia slowly sat up from her position on the hardwood floor and took a look around at her new surroundings.

She was in yet another room, albeit this one was much smaller than the one she was just in, although they were very similar. There were lounge chairs here and there, a couple bookcases lining the walls, a writing desk settled in the corner, a huge drapes hanging around a small, open circular window that was at least five feet above her head. With a start, Mia realized that the noise she had been hearing was coming from this window, where the wind was gusting its way inside, moving around the dead leaves that had gathered from outside. Even though it was in the middle of summer, the room felt very cold. Mia stood to her feet and continued to stare around, noting that this room was decorated and stylized with Slytherin colors—everything from the drapes to the dusty rugs were green, silver and black. Because of the open window, some of the furniture had been severely affected by the weather, along with the floorboards, which creaked as she walked on them, and some of the metal trinkets on the tables had turned very rusty. She also noticed that it was extremely messy, with books and scraps of parchment littered about, and broken quill scattered around. It was mostly dark in the room, the only light coming from the window and the dying flames and embers from the few torches on the wall and the small fireplace next to the desk. Where on earth was she? Mia tried looking around for a way out, but unfortunately there were no doors, not even when she went around and pressed her hands to the stone walls, hoping that it would unlock some kind of trapdoor.

 _There's no way out…I'm trapped._

Mia suddenly heard a faint thumping sound and she turned to see Sirius pounding on the glass of the mirror in urgency, a worried and frustrated look on his face. For whatever reason, he couldn't follow her through the mirror.

"Sirius! I'm in here, Sirius!" Mia called as she hurried back over to the mirror. To her despair, Sirius didn't seem to be able to hear her, as he continued to hit the mirror, and she couldn't hear the silent curses he was sure to be shouting. He said something over his shoulder to Tonks, who nodded and quickly ran from the sitting room, probably to go get help. Not even two seconds later, Mia saw all of her friends pile into the room, with Harry speaking to Sirius.

"Guys!" Mia yelled, starting to beat her hands against the glass. "Guys, I'm in here! _I'm in here!_ "

It was no use—they couldn't hear her, and she couldn't hear them. Sirius seemed to have told the others what had happened, for she could see Ron's eyes bugging out of their sockets, Ginny and Hermione were staring at the mirror with fearful looks, and Harry was shouting to Sirius, his expression panic-stricken. They must have thought something horrible had happened to her! She was okay, but she had no way to tell them that. She saw Fred and George take out their wands, but Sirius waved his hands in a negative fashion, obviously telling them not to try anything. At this point the older wizard stopped hitting the surface of the mirror and was examining it, seeing if there was another way to open it. Why can't anyone else get through? Why did she have to be stupid enough to touch the bloody thing in the first place?! Mia was so annoyed with herself, and she smacked the mirror hard in agitation. This was definitely not good. She was stuck inside an unknown room that was filled with who knows what, and the only way for her to get out was currently shut tight, allowing no one else access, with no way to communicate with the others. First the dementors, and now this…she can honestly say she has had much better summers.

A couple minutes passed before even more people entered the room. Tonks had returned, this time with Remus and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who looked as if she were about to have a heart attack on the spot. Many of them were talking over one another, and it seemed that Mrs. Weasley was trying to get Harry and the others to leave, being met with instant protest. Mr. Weasley came over to stand next to Sirius, also inspecting the mirror. Mia groaned and leaned her head against the glass, letting out a breath of frustration. At that moment she gasped, seeing that her breath had left some steam on the glass, and an idea came to her. Working quickly, Mia leaned down a little and hurriedly breathed on the glass, creating as much fog and steam as she could. Then, making sure to move fast, she started writing on the glass with her finger.

 _ **I'm all right.**_

Mr. Weasley was the first one to notice the writing, and he hastily pointed it out to Sirius and the others before it faded away. By now Remus had joined in, the three of them staring where the words had been before he lifted his gaze and peered into the mirror. Could he see a faint image of her like she had seen the chair? Mia pressed herself as close to the glass as she could, praying that they could see her. Remus' eye widened ever so slightly as he moved his sight to look straight at her. She could see his mouth form the word, "Mia?"

"Yes!" she whispered, leaning down to breath once again on the glass.

 _ **Secret room. No way out except mirror.**_

It took them a second to read the sentence, as she was sure it would have come out backwards on the other end, but she could see them all visibly relax a tad bit, knowing that she was okay. Sirius, Remus and Mr. Weasley all took a step back from the mirror, with Remus saying something to Mrs. Weasley and Sirius calling for something. Hermione came forward and handed over a book she had been holding, which held a quill inside of its pages. Flipping to a random page, Sirius scratched out a quick sentence and held it up to the mirror.

 _ **Stay there, don't touch anything. We'll get you out. **_

Mia breathed out a loud sigh of relief as the twins came over and took the book from Sirius, writing their own message with beaming grins on their faces.

 _ **Good one on ya, Mia darling! If you find anything interesting, let us know! **_

_**Just so you know, you're going to get an earful from Hermione when you get out. Might as well stay in there.**_

Despite the situation, Mia couldn't help but let out a tiny chuckle, which turned into a full out laugh when Mrs. Weasley stormed over and scolded them, probably for not taking the situation seriously. Knowing that they would get her out, Mia felt more relaxed and at ease, her fear slipping away. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stood there for a minute just watching the others debate on the best way to get her out, but then she spent a little time walking around a bit, trying to warm herself up while continuing to stare around the room. Walking over by the writing desk, she observed the objects on top of it. There were a couple of open books that looked as if they hadn't been touched since the last person who was in here used them, a thin layer of dust covering the pages, with torn up and balled up pieces of parchment surrounding them, along with black Owl feathers. Mia leaned over one of the books in particular, where there was a bunch of scribbled notes in the margins, some of it smeared, so she couldn't exactly make out what it said. There had been a bookmark placed in between these two pages and she figured that whoever the person was to use this room last, this was probably the last thing they read. Her eyes moved over to the other open book, which only showed the inside cover and title page: _Dark Magic and Blackened Souls._ On the inside cover was a handwritten name, one that poked Mia's interest greatly.

 _Regulus A. Black_

Regulus Black? As in Sirius brother? Was this room his? It certainly would explain the Slytherin design of it, but why would he even have a secret room? Did Sirius even know about it at all? Questions were popping inside of Mia's head, and she looked back at the first book, particularly at one word in the side notes that had been written over many times and even circled, something that began with an H.

"Ho..Hor-crux?" Mia sounded out, furrowing her eyebrows. What in the world was a Horcrux? Maybe she was saying it wrong, or maybe it was a different word, this handwriting was more like chicken scratch than anything else. She didn't think about it for too long, because she heard a loud thump and turned to see Remus and Tonks standing in front of the mirror, resolved and determined looks on their faces. Remus took out his wand and made a motion for Mia to stand back. Raising his wand, Remus muttered a spell, and then the tip of it glowed a bright yellow color. In the next instant, the mirror began glowing the same color as well, and it seemed to vibrate for a second before the surface of the mirror once again seemed to turn into liquid and a smile came upon Mia's face. Hurrying forward she tentatively reached out and let out a short laugh as her hand slipped through the glass, just as it had before. She felt someone grab a hold of it and before she could blink, she was being yanked through the mirror and out of the dark room.

The first thing she registered upon coming back out into the sitting room was the noise level. She stumbled out of the mirror with a gasp and fell forward right into Tonks' arms, as she had been the one to yank her out, keeping her from falling flat on her face. She could hear quite a few people yell her name, and it was a very refreshing sound.

"Wotcher, Mia," Tonks greeted with a cheerful smile. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Mia breathed as she stood upright. "Thanks guys."

"Are you sure you're okay, Mia?" Remus asked.

"What happened?" Sirius added in.

"Did you find anything?" Fred said eagerly.

"Were there any ghouls?" Ginny inquired.

"For goodness sake, let the girl breathe!" Mrs. Weasley fretted as she came over and inspected Mia for any injuries, her face contorted with concern. "You're not hurt are you, dear? This is ridiculous, I told Arthur you children should have stayed at the Burrow! Can't turn around for one second without something happening."

"I'm okay Mrs. Weasley, really," Mia assured her, and everyone else. I was trying to get Sapphire from under that shelf, and I heard a weird noise. It was coming from the mirror, and I thought I saw something in it, but I guess I got a little too close."

"Well, at least you're all right," Mrs. Weasley said, giving her a soft smile. "But Sirius, that thing should be taken down straight away! How come it was never mentioned?"

"I honestly had no idea it was a doorway into another room," Sirius said. "You didn't touch anything in there, did you Mia?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head. "It's like another study, but it hasn't been used in years, everything was left exactly the same as it was the last time it was used. And I…I saw a name on one of the books in there."

"A name?" Tonks repeated. "What name?"

Mia hesitated before looking again at Sirius.

"Regulus A. Black. I think that room was his private study."

Sirius was silent as she told him this, his face blank, but she could see the surprise in his eyes, as well as the dark cloud that formed in them as she mentioned his younger brother's name. Mia had overheard Sirius talking to Harry about him the other day when they were looking at the tapestry of the Black family tree. Regulus was a perfect pureblood child in his parents' eye, and he eventually grew up to become a Death Eater. However, in the end he ended up getting cold feet and tried to flee from that life, but when it came to Voldemort, it was either a lifetime service or death. Even though it was obvious that they never really got along, Mia had a feeling Regulus' death was still a touchy subject for Sirius.

"At least you're all right," Remus spoke up. "Although I would advise you all to stay clear of anything else that looks suspicious, there are still many things in this house that needs to be inspected. Come on, let's get out of here."

Mrs. Weasley was more than happy with that thought, ushering Mia and her friends out of the room to head back into their own bedrooms. As they walked, Harry came up next to Mia and wrapped an arm around her, not saying anything but giving her a look that said all too well that he was worried about her. This look made butterflies bounce around in her stomach and she gave him a reassuring smile before bumping into his side, letting him know in her own way that she was perfectly fine.

"What spell did you guys use to get me out?" Mia asked.

"Priori Incantatum," Harry replied. "It forced the mirror to repeat the last bit of magic it used to get you through. It was Ron's idea."

"What? Really?" Mia said, turned her head to grin at the redhead, whose face started to burn, but still managed to grin at her.

"Always the tone of surprise," he said. "I have my moments."

"Rarely," Mia heard George mutter. Before she could say anything else, she saw Hermione storm up to her and slapped her arm rather hard, an angry look on her face.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"What were you thinking?!" Hermione yelled. "First off, why would you even go into a room all by yourself when we haven't even gotten to decontaminate it yet, and then just go waltzing up to a mirror that could have had unknown dark curses cast upon it? You could have been seriously hurt, and what if there was some sort of dark creature in that room that attacked you, or even—"

Mia groaned and hit her head against Harry's shoulder as Hermione's tirade continued. _I should have just stayed in the mirror._

…..


	5. Harry's Hearing

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Five: Harry's Hearing

MPOV

Mia stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking over herself for what had to be the tenth time that morning, making sure there was no hair out of place or wrinkle to be seen. Her nerves kept eating at her and she could feel the knot in her stomach tighten in a very uncomfortable fashion, causing her to take a couple deep breaths to calm herself. Today was the day. Today was the day she would go to Harry's hearing and testify on his behalf. The whole situation made her more nervous than she would like to admit, especially since she wasn't even the one who was charged with underage magic, but that still didn't make her any less concerned of how this day was going to turn out. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help picturing the worst case scenario, in which Harry would be expelled, they would snap his wand in half, and he would be forced to return to the Dursleys. Mia frowned at that. Even if Harry was convicted, she knew that he would never go back to Privet Drive, not if he and Sirius had anything to say about it. If anything, Sirius might just kidnap him and hold him hostage here in Grimmauld Place, not that Harry would mind. But the idea of Harry not being at Hogwarts anymore, not being able to see his smile, hear his laughter, feel his hugs, or that warm feeling she has just being close to him…

Mia huffed softly at herself, shaking her head of these thoughts before they went any further. To distract herself, she took one last look in the mirror. For the hearing, she made sure to pack her best outfit, which was casual, yet still business in a way. She wore a plain white button up blouse with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, a long, navy blue skirt that flowed just below her knees in soft ripples, and matching flats that Hermione actually allowed her to borrow for this occasion. She had styled her hair in a simple half-up, half-down style, and made sure to tuck her necklace underneath the blouse so it wouldn't be seen. Finally deeming herself decent, Mia walked out of the bathroom and slowly stepped back into the bedroom, where Hermione and Ginny were still fast asleep, curled up in their blankets. Mia didn't have the heart to wake them, so she made sure to be extra quiet while getting herself ready. Moving slowly and silently, Mia grabbed her small purse from her bed that contained her wand and wizard money before stringing it across her body and leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her.

It was dark and quiet in the house as Mia made her way down the stairs, being careful so as not to wake up any of the snoozing portraits, especially Mrs. Black. When she reached the first level, she went through the door that led down into the kitchens. When she entered, she found Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley all gathered at the kitchen table, talking with each other. Everyone was dressed except Mrs. Weasley, who wore a purple dressing gown, pouring them all a pot of tea. Mr. Weasley, instead of wearing the normal wizard robes, had on a pair of Muggle jeans and an old looking bomber jacket. Mia opened the creaking door and everyone turned their heads towards her.

"Oh Mia," Mrs. Weasley said as she set down the teapot and came over to her. "Come in and sit down dear, I'll get you something to eat."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley, but I'm not sure if I can stomach anything right now," Mia said honestly, the last thing on her mind being breakfast.

"You must eat something dear," Mrs. Weasley urged, leading her over to a chair. "I can make eggs, porridge, anything you'd like."

"Maybe just a muffin?" Mia suggested, not too sure what else to ask for. Mrs. Weasley nodded and went over to the pantry while Mia took a seat across from Remus.

"Good morning Mia," he greeted.

"Morning," Mia addressed them all, fidgeting with the cuffs of her sleeves.

"You l-look n-nice," Tonks yawned, looking thoroughly exhausted, her blonde curls falling into her face.

"Thanks. This blouse feels scratchy though," Mia muttered as Mrs. Weasley placed a muffin and a glass of juice in front of her.

"It's only for a few hours," Mr. Weasley assured her. Mia nodded just as the door to the kitchen opened again, and this time Harry came through, wearing his best khaki pants, and a dark blue shirt underneath a tan jacket, with brown shoes that looked slightly too big for him. Mia was stunned upon seeing him. She had never seen Harry dressed so smartly in Muggle clothes, especially since these ones are not Dudley's old hand me downs, and seem to fit Harry nicely. His hair was messy as it always is, but seeing him dressed like this gave Mia an odd sensation in her stomach and she could feel the tiniest flare in her cheeks and she looked away before anyone caught her staring, her heart quickening its pace in her chest, and the muffin she was eating tasting more like cardboard.

 _He looks so very handsome._ Mia forced herself to finish chewing and swallowing as Harry walked over and took the chair next to her, nodding quietly at everyone who greeted him. Mrs. Weasley asked him what he wanted to eat, but it seemed as if his appetite matched Mia's, because all he asked for was some toast. Mrs. Weasley made him some while Sirius, Remus, Tonks and Mr. Weasley started speaking with each other, but Mia was so distracted she hardly noticed. After Mrs. Weasley set some toast and marmalade in front of Harry, she began fussing over the both of them, smoothing out any creases in their clothes and straightening out Mia's hair.

"Hey," Harry mumbled to her.

"Hey, she replied back, offering him a gentle smile. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Some" Harry admitted, fumbling with his piece of toast. "You look really nice."

"Thank you," Mia said, staring back at her muffin and using her hair to conceal her pink cheeks. Since they were sitting so close to each other, Mia could distinctly smell that wonderful scent she remembered from the ride from Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place, when she was riding with Harry on his Firebolt.

 _Oh no, no, no, no!_ _Don't even go there!_ Mia mentally scolded herself and took another bite of her muffin.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked. Harry simply shrugged in reply. "Don't worry, it'll be over sooner than it starts. The hearing will take place in Amelia Bone's office, she the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and she'll be the one questioning you and Mia. I know Amelia, she's very fair, she will listen to you."

"Be polite, and don't lose your temper," Sirius advised.

"The law's on your side," Remus offered quietly. "Even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if their life is in danger."

Harry just nodded as Mrs. Weasley conjured up a comb and tried getting Harry's wild hair to lie flat on his head.

"It's no good, Mrs. Weasley," Mia said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "I've lost count of how many times I've lost that battle."

Mrs. Weasley just sighed in defeat as Mr. Weasley set down his cup of tea, suggesting that they leave now, even if they would arrive a bit earlier than planned. Mia took one last sip of her juice before standing to her feet.

"You'll be okay, Harry," Tonks said encouragingly.

"Good luck," said Remus. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"And if it isn't, I'll see to Amelia Bone for you," Sirius said grimly. Mrs. Weasley gave both Harry and Mia one last hug before they followed Mr. Weasley up the stairs and out of the kitchen. They all walked through the front hall and out the front door, stepping into the crisp, cold morning. They walked down the steps and then started heading around the square, cutting through the morning fog. The clouds overhead were a dark gray, and Mia could still make out the sun making its ascend behind them, casting a dreary glow on everything below. It was mostly quiet as they walked together through the deserted neighborhood, heading towards the underground station. Wishing she had at least thought to bring a jacket, Mia crossed her arms over her chest and suppressed a shiver.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, just a little cold," she replied.

"Do you want my jacket?" Harry offered.

"No thanks Harry, I'll be fine once we get on the train," Mia answered with a grateful smile, before it turned into a playful smirk. "It is very kind of you to offer though, good sir, I never knew you had much manners."

"Well, I do have my moments," Harry replied with a smirk of his own.

"You never know, you do hang around with Ron a lot," Mia said with a shrug. "Something's bound to rub off sooner or later."

"How do you know I haven't picked it up from you?"

"Excuse me? I'll have you know that I'm a perfect angel!"

"In what world?" Harry snorted in disbelief. Mia glared at him before smacking his arm.

"See what I mean? You have no tact whatsoever!" she said.

"Well you're abusive!"

"Only when you annoy me, which is ninety percent of the time. And don't feel so special, I hit Ron and Hermione sometimes too."

"I guess I don't need to push my point any further, do I?"

"All right you two, enough," Mr. Weasley said, although he said it with a smile and a fond shake of the head. "Will I have to hear this the whole way there?"

"This is nothing compared to when Ron and Hermione go at it, Mr. Weasley," Mia piped up cheerfully. "Harry and I are saints next to the two of them."

This earned a chuckle from both Harry and Mr. Weasley as they pressed on with their walk, making their way to the Underground station, filled to the brink with early morning travelers. As always, Mr. Weasley found it difficult to contain his excitement at the Muggles around him, and their technology, pointing out the automatic ticket machine, the vending machines, and con machines with a beaming smile, looking like a child on Christmas morning. Harry took care of getting their tickets, and soon enough they were on the train bound for the center of London. It was fairly crowded with people on their way to work, and so Mia, Harry and Mr. Weasley were a little squished together in their seats, with Mr. Weasley constantly checking the map above the windows to make sure they got off at the right stop.

"Have you ever been to London, Harry?" Mia asked curiously.

"Not really," Harry answered with a shrug. "I think my aunt and Dudley went a couple times when I was younger, but they always left me at Mrs. Figg's."

"It's actually very nice, from what I can remember," Mia admitted.

"When have you been to London?"

"Just a small handful of times, when I was really little," Mia said. "My mum and dad always spend the day together in London for their anniversary, he takes her to lunch, and then they go to some of their favorite spots, maybe see a show, but a couple times they couldn't find anyone to watch me, so they took me with them. I mostly remember seeing some street performers and going to an ice cream shop but not much else."

"It's a shame we really don't have the time to do that today," Harry said. "It would be a nice distraction."

"I'll tell you what, one day we'll take a trip to London and spend the day," Mia said with a gleam in her eyes. "You, me, Hermione and Ron. It'll be fun, I'm not sure if Ron has ever been to the city, it'll be great to see his reaction to everything."

This earned a grin from Harry and Mia felt glad that she was able to take his mind off of what was going to happen, even if it was just for a minute. After that the minutes ticked by painfully slow, but eventually they made it to their stop, and then they got off the train at a station in the very heart of London. Mia's eyes widened at the sight of it all—the loud chatter and laughter from early morning commuters, the beginning formations of city traffic on the streets, the clicking of heels, and the flaps of overcoats as they were swept back by the wind. There was a combination of the scent of bagels, smoke, and wet cement in the air, and it was all enticing in a way. Buildings towered over their heads and Mia couldn't help but stare in awe as the three of them walked through the crowded sidewalks. Mr. Weasley led them through the city until they came upon a street that was mainly made of shabby offices, a pub, and graffiti covered walls. Soon enough they walked up to an old red telephone box that definitely looked as if it had seen better days—the paint was peeling and it was missing a couple dirty glass panes.

"What is this?" Mia asked.

"The visitor's entrance," Mr. Weasley replied, opening the door for them. "In you go now, it's going to be a tight squeeze."

That was a severe understatement. Harry went in first and pressed his back firmly against the one side of the box, especially when Mia went in after him. With Mr. Weasley following her, Mia suddenly found herself pressed right up against Harry, their bodies touching. In a matter of seconds, Mia could feel her entire body heat up, and she feel her face flare up as she saw that she was in direct eyesight of Harry's lips. She went completely still as her heart raced in her chest, and she had to remind herself to breathe. Okay, she was in a very tight space, pushed up against a boy who she was desperately trying to get over her crush for, with his chest against hers, and his lips within reach. This was most definitely the most awkward situation she has _ever_ been in! Once they were all inside, Mr. Weasley reached around them to take hold of the receiver and started using the number dial, muttering to himself.

"Six…two…four…and another four…"

Mia silently prayed that Mr. Weasley would hurry up with the dial so they could detangle themselves from this position. Once he was finished, there was a sudden cool female voice inside the telephone box, as if there were a person standing right next to them.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business," it said.

"Er…Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, here to escort Amelia Thatcher and Harry Potter, who has been called to attend a disciplinary hearing."

"Thank you," said the female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach it to the front of your clothes."

There was a soft metal click, and then two badges were dispensed where the coins usually were, and Mr. Weasley gave them to Mia and Harry. Looking at the badge in her hands, Mia saw gleaming blue print that read _Amelia Thatcher, Disciplinary Hearing._ She scowled a bit as she pinned the badge to her blouse, with a little difficulty.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I don't like my full name, she muttered. "Makes me think I'm in trouble."

"Well, you usually are," Harry snickered.

"Only because I'm around you too much," she argued back with a smirk. "I'm sorry to say it but you, Mr. Potter, are a bad influence."

"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the end of the Atrium," the female voice said, cutting off any retort Harry had. In the next moment, the floor to the telephone box shuddered beneath their feet, and, to Mia's shock, they were slowly beginning to sink into the ground. The movement startled her a bit and she absentmindedly pushed herself a tad bit closer to Harry, if that were even possible. They soon disappeared beneath the ground and were briefly encased in darkness before there was a sudden golden light surrounding their bodies and the darkness vanished as the female voice wished them all a good day. The door to the telephone box opened up, and Mia was relieved when they all stepped out, thankful to be out of that tiny space. However, her relief quickly turned into shock and astonishment, her mouth dropping open along with Harry's as they took in the sight before them.

The Ministry of Magic was truly a glorious sight to behold. The three of them were currently standing at one end of a very long, enormous hallway that expanded into a vast space that seemed stretch on for miles. The floor beneath their feet was made up of polished dark wood so clear Mia could almost see her reflection upon it. The hall was filled to the brim with witches and wizards in their best working robes, frazzled hair, wired glasses, steaming cups of tea in their hands, the _Daily Prophet_ tucked underneath their arms. Mia could even see a goblin here and there, no doubt here on some sort of business, and the noise level lifted up into the ceiling, which had golden letters and symbols moving around it, and she gleefully saw that she could translate some of them, thanks to her lessons from Ancient Ruins. On each side of the hall were tall, spacious fireplaces made of stone. The ones on the left burst into green flame as ministry workers arrived, while the ones on the right flickered and died as people were leaving. Just up ahead, Mia could see what seemed to be the main lobby, and she caught a glimpse of the structures along the sides that held many offices, set behind a golden gate. Besides Hogwarts, the Ministry had to be one of the most amazing wizarding structures she has ever seen in her life.

Mr. Weasley suggested that they keep going, and so Mia followed him quietly along with Harry as they walked through the crowd of people coming in for the start of their day. Halfway down the hall, they came across a beautiful water fountain that had gold statues towering over everyone beneath it. There were five statues in total: a wizard, witch, house elf, goblin, and centaur, gentle streams of water coming out of their wands, ears, noses, and hands, looking unified in a way Mia has never seen before. She took a few seconds to admire it as she walked past. Mr. Weasley led them over to a security desk that was seated just outside of the gates, where an elderly wizard inspected Mia's wand on a strange bronze object that kind of resembled a scale, which produced a thin strip of parchment, stating the measurement of her wand, what it was made of, and how long it has been in use. Once her wand was cleared, he did the same with Harry's, and once he was done, the wizard did a double take at Harry as he gave him back his wand. His eyes traveled from the badge bearing his name to the scar that was visible under his bangs, but Mr. Weasley hurried them away before the wizard had a chance to say anything. They made their way through the gold gates with the rest of the crowd, and Mia gasped softly as she stared at the wonderful scene around her. The office buildings she had caught a glimpse of in the Atrium was even taller than she imagined, reaching as high as the ceiling, with paper memos flying through the air, and brilliant light coming in through the windows.

Mia, Harry, and Mr. Weasley went over to one side where there were many lifts, all lined up in a row, transporting groups of workers. After only a few minutes of waiting, they managed to get to the front of the line for one of the lifts and went inside. Mia and Harry were pushed up against the back wall with Mr. Weasley next to them, and Mia was thankful that this time she was squished up against Harry from the side, and not from the front. They were soon joined by even more memos in the form of paper airplanes, with the Ministry's crest stamped on the side. The lift doors closed once everyone was inside, and it started moving upwards with a sudden jolt, causing Mia to bump into Harry's side. This lift was different than any kind of elevator Mia had been in—this one went up, down, criss-crossed, sideways, forward, backward, and any other way you can think of, making it impossible to tell where exactly they were in the underground ministry. It was mostly silent in the lift, and Mia's thoughts began to wander as the minutes ticked by and the lift made stops at certain levels to allow workers in and out, along with the memos. She truly hoped everything would turn out all right today. Her stomach still twisted uncomfortable at the thought of the hearing, but she reminded herself that it would be simple interrogation by Amelia Bones in her office, and maybe even one other wizard there to take notes on the matter, but not much else. Hopefully Mrs. Bones will come to a verdict quickly and she will show mercy on Harry. Mia did not want to imagine what school would be like if Harry wasn't there. She knew she would miss him terribly, along with Ron and Hermione, and sneaking out to see him during holidays would probably be harder than she thought. She knew without a doubt that Sirius would take good care of him, but considering he was technically a criminal from the law and Harry was an expelled wizard, what kind of future would be in store for them?

Mia shook her head as she tried ridding it of such negative thoughts. This was no time to fear for the worst when the hearing hasn't even started yet! Everything would be fine, especially considering all the past incidents that she and her friends had managed to get out of. Mia was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice when the lift came to yet another stop, and the cool voice that had been in the phone box declared this level as the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In a matter of minutes, Mr. Weasley led both her and Harry down a corridor lined with doors until they came upon a set made of heavy oak, reminding her of the entrance doors to Hogwarts, and they stepped inside to see a huge space made up of cubicles, full to the brink of laughing, chatting wizards, with a sign reading _Auror Headquarters_ up in the front. They walked past the cubicles, and Mia saw that Harry in particular was gazing around at everything with great curiosity and awe, making her smile a tiny bit. She remembered Harry saying that he was interested in Aurors, maybe this was something he would consider doing as a career in the future. Soon enough, they came across Kingsley at one of the cubicles, and he greeted Mr. Weasley coolly, with the two of them acting like they hardly knew each other, and then he took them all to his own cubicle. Harry opened his mouth, probably to say hello to Kingsley, but Mia quickly and subtly bumped his shoulder roughly, clearing her throat.

"What?" Harry said.

"We don't know Kingsley, remember?" she breathed to him in a whisper. "As far as everyone is concerned, this is our first time seeing him."

"Oh," Harry muttered, realization dawning upon him as he nodded. The visit to Kingsley's cubicle was short, with him handing a stack of parchment to him and telling him to get on with some case involving flying Muggle vehicles, while adding in an undertone to give Sirius the magazine he slipped inside the pile. After that, Mr. Weasley escorted Harry and Mia down to his own office on a very shabby looking corridor, and Mia was appalled to see that his office was much smaller and more cramped than the broom cupboard right across the hall. Filing cabinets lined the walls, with all sorts of enchanted Muggle trinkets everywhere, with two desks squeezed in together with no window, and the office itself was a bit dingy. Mia instantly frowned at this. She knew that Mr. Weasley's job here at the Ministry wasn't held in such high regards as the other departments, but this was so unfair! Mr. Weasley and his partner had no suitable working conditions, and from the look of paperwork he had scattered around the tiny space, he was up to his neck in what other ministry employees found trivial. Mr. Weasley worked so very hard, but no one seemed to take much notice of it, and the thought saddened her greatly. Mr. Weasley beckoned them to take a seat, and all they had to do was wait here until they were summoned to the hearing. However, Mia and Harry were barely able to sit down before the door burst open and an older wizard with fluffy white hair charged in, breathing raggedly with a hand to his chest, his wrinkled eyes as wide as saucers.

"Arthur!" he gasped. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Perkins, what is it?" Mr. Weasley asked in alarm.

"The Potter boy's hearing—it's been changed!"

" _What?!"_

"They changed it not even fifteen minutes ago!" Perkins panted, trying to get all the words out as quickly as possible. "Eight o' clock—courtroom ten! You need to go now, it's already five past eight!"

"Merlin's beard!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, jumping right out of his seat. "Harry, Mia, come on, we have to hurry!"

"Mr. Weasley, what's going on? Why was the time of the hearing changed?" Mia asked in a panic as they all basically ran back through the Auror Department and back towards the lifts.

"I have no idea! Curse it all, why on earth would they change it at the last possible second! Thank goodness we got here so early," Mr. Weasley exclaimed, rushing them both back to the lifts, where he waited impatiently for it to show up and ushered them inside, punching the number nine button. As the seconds ticked by, Mia's mind was reeling. The hearing's already started, and they weren't even there yet! Her heart began beating erratically in her chest and she anxiously fidgeted with her hands. It was a constant process of stop and go as the lift picked up and dropped off more passengers, annoying Mr. Weasley to know end. Once they finally reached their level, titled the Department of Mysteries, Mr. Weasley pushed them out, and then they were running again down more corridors and up at least two flights of stairs. Mia was running out of breath by the time they came upon a long, narrow and dark corridor, reminding her of the dungeons where Snape held his potions class. This one had enormous, heavyset black wooden doors with large silver locks and chains across some of them. They continued running until they came to one at the far end, and Mr. Weasley slumped against the wall, bending over slightly and placing a hand on his knees.

"In there, Harry," he panted. "Go on."

"Aren't you coming?" Harry asked, his voice unnaturally high.

"No, I'm not allowed. Mia, you can't go in yet."

"What?" she said in shock.

"You can't go in until you're called to testify! Harry has to give his statement first. Go on Harry, you'll be fine."

Mia turned around to stare at Harry, who was very pale and looked positively terrified at the prospect of going in alone. Without thinking, Mia reached forward and gave him a quick, yet tender hug and a chaste kiss to the cheek before pulling back to look into his eyes.

"Everything will be okay," she said breathlessly. Harry only nodded wordlessly at her before squaring his shoulders, turning around and walking through the door into the courtroom, closing it behind him. Mia looked at the door for a moment, her breathing calming down some, and praying that her words to him would be true.

"Mia?" Mr. Weasley said, straightening up once he finally caught his breath. "Are you okay?"

"I…I'm scared, Mr. Weasley," Mia admitted in a quiet voice. "I'm ashamed to say it, but I am. I know that Harry is innocent in this case, but what if they don't care? What if they just see an attention seeking boy who is a liar and snap his wand?"

"Harry saved you," Mr. Weasley stated firmly, yet kindly. "You both would have been kissed if he hadn't acted, along with his cousin."

However, Mia was still worried. She must have shown it on her face because Mr. Weasley came forward and gave her a gentle hug, providing as much comfort as he could to the anxious young witch.

"Once you're summoned, all you have to do is go inside and tell the truth about what happened," he said, patting her shoulder. "Now, I must warn you, it may be a bit intimidating, they may use the fact that you and Harry are friends against him, but hold true and don't let the get to you. Stay calm and answer all questions politely. You'll be fine, you both will."

Mia nodded as she returned his hug, forcing herself to relax more as they let go of each other. There was silence out in the corridor now, and Mia, hating the feeling of simply standing still, began pacing the hall, still fidgeting with her hands and trying to sorts through her thoughts. She had only been doing this for about a minute before she heard Mr. Weasley let out a pleasantly startled yelp.

"Dumbledore!"

Mia whipped around to see that her headmaster was indeed strolling down the corridor, his long, silver hair and beard trailing very close to the floor, twinkling blue eyes shining behind his glasses, and wearing soft blue robes with a matching wizard's hat on top of his head. In an instant, most of Mia' fears melted away, and a relieved smile came across her face. Albus Dumbledore tended to have that effect on people, making them feel safe and calm, like everything would work out all right in the end, and for the first time since leaving Mr. Weasley's office, she felt a strong sense of hope.

"Professor!" she said as she he came closer to them. "You're here!"

"Hello Mia, Arthur," Dumbledore greeted warmly, offering them both a smile. "Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't have the time for pleasant conversation. I must get in there with Harry."

"You're representing him?" Mia asked happily.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. "Now, Arabella, you wait out here, I am sure they will be calling you and Mia in shortly."

With that being said, Dumbledore disappeared through the wooden doors as well, and it was only then that Mia realized he hadn't come alone. There was an elderly woman dressed in a dark blue business suit, clutching a green purse to her chest and wearing a Muggle hat with flowers on it over her head, which she kept readjusting.

"Mrs. Figg?" said Mia in surprise.

"Good morning Mia," her neighbor said. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm doing okay, for the most part," Mia answered honestly. "What are you doing here?"

"You really didn't think you were going to be the only witness for Harry, did you?" Mrs. Figg said. "Dumbledore and I agreed that he will need all the support he can get."

Mia sighed gratefully at this information, the knots in her stomach finally loosening up a bit. With Dumbledore in there defending Harry, Mia was sure that there was a higher chance of getting the charges dropped. With that in mind, Mia resumed her pacing along the hall while Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Figg conversed with each other. How much time had passed, she honestly had no idea, but it seemed to take forever, and she dearly wished she could hear what was going on inside the courtroom. While she waited, Mia absentminded fingered the chain that held her stallion charm, finding comfort in her highly treasured necklace.

A little while later, Mia was jolted out of her thoughts as the door leading into the courtroom opened, and she was surprised to see Percy, the third oldest Weasley son, stick his head out from inside, a firm expression on his face and his eyes indifferent behind his horn-rimmed glasses. Percy completely ignored his father and spoke directly to Mia.

"Come along, Amelia," he said, gesturing her over. That crippling fear threatened to overtake her once again, but Mia forcefully pushed it back, taking a deep breath and straightening up before walking over to Percy. She spared a glance over towards Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Figg before following Percy through the door.

"Am I really just 'Amelia' to you now?" Mia asked sadly. Percy ignored her and led her into the courtroom, where she had to suppress a gasp from escaping her lips. The courtroom was by far bigger than any of the other rooms or cubicles she has seen in the ministry so far, with empty benches on her right and left. However, rising high above her head towards the vastness of the black ceiling, a group of about forty or so witches and wizards sat with purple colored robes, an embedded 'M' on the left side of their chest. In the middle of this group was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, and he stared down at Mia with what could only be a mix of annoyance and impatience. He instructed Mia to take a seat, and it was only then that Mia realized there were two seats at the very center of the room, where Harry and Dumbledore were currently seated. Dumbledore got to his feet and offered Mia his chair as he conjured another one for himself. Mia nervously took the seat and crossed her ankles, swallowing the large lump that had formed in her throat as she looked up at all the peering eyes that were focused on her. She stole a peek at Harry and met his gaze, his green eyes filled with worry and slight desperation.

"Full name?" Fudge's voice boomed down at her.

"Amelia Marie Thatcher," she replied, thankful that her voice wasn't quivering.

"And who, young lady, are you in relevance to Mr. Potter?" fudge asked.

"I've been Harry's neighbor and friend for the past seven years," Mia said.

"Tell us your account of what exactly happened on the night of August second."

"I was walking home, around nine o'clock, to my house on Privet Drive. I was alone, and I was taking a shortcut home, when I heard yelling."

"Yelling?" said a woman sitting on Fudge's left. "What do you mean, child?"

"Um, I heard two people arguing," Mia said, her voice quickly growing softer. "It—it was Harry and his cousin. I had started walking towards the yelling to see what was wrong—"

"Do you know what they were arguing about?" Fudge cut in sharply.

"No," Mia answered honestly.

"Do you have any idea what could have caused the argument?" he pressed on.

"I—I don't know…"

"Do you believe it was heated enough to where some type of magical force was used to resolve the issue?" Fudge demanded, piercing her with his sharp gaze.

"I—I—"

"Minister," Dumbledore interrupted politely. "Aren't we straying a bit off the matter of the case? Miss Thatcher has not even finished her account."

Fudge glared at Dumbledore angrily but gave a huff before snapping at Mia to continue.

"I went to see what was wrong, and then…then the dementors came," she said, her tone becoming more confident. "Everything went so cold, the flowers were turning to ice and all I felt was sadness and misery. It was as if all the happiness and joy was being sucked away from the world, being replaced by cold, and darkness, and fear. I knew what was happening, and I ran over to where Harry and Dudley were, to warn them. Harry was yelling at Dudley to keep his mouth shut, and by the time I got to the ally, one of the dementors was advancing on Harry, and the other was hovering over Dudley on the ground. Harry was trying to create a Patronus to make them go away, and the one dementor was trying to Kiss Dudley. I tried doing the charm myself, but I…I couldn't."

"You attempted the Patronus Charm?" the woman from before asked.

"Yes. I couldn't even finish the incantation."

"And why was that?"

"I was scared," Mia whispered, her head hanging low. "I…I started hearing voices in my head, I was so cold, and the dementor left Dudley and started going for me instead. I fell to the ground, and the dementor was going to Kiss me, but Harry managed to cast the Patronus just in time. He saved my life, and drove the dementors away."

There was a brief moment of silence as Mia finished her tale, and she lifted her head up to see that the group of witches and wizards were muttering to each other, some glaring at her in suspicion while others gave her looks of sympathy.

"You say you have been friends with Mr. Potter for quite some time," Fudge stated. "How close would you say you are? Would you consider him a very good friend?"

"He's my best friend," Mia replied cautiously.

"I see," Fudge said with a smug smirk. "And am I safe to say that, just from your statement alone, that you would do anything to help Mr. Potter, were he in trouble?"

"Of course," Mia answered without hesitation.

"Interesting. Miss Thatcher, while your story is very exciting, could there be a possibility that it was created in the attempt to have Mr. Potter cleared for any wrongdoings? That you and Mr. Potter rehearsed this tale so as to provide an invalid excuse to why he performed magic in front of a Muggle?"

All at once, a roaring flare of anger and indignation swept over Mia, and her eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared at the minister, very nearly baring her teeth at him. Her hands clenched into fists on her lap, and steam was coming out of her ears as to what Fudge was insinuating.

"Are you suggesting that I'm lying, _sir?_ " Mia said in a voice of deadly calm, spitting out the last word like it was venom.

"Seeing as how close and devoted you two are, it is not impossible that you would be tempted to lie on his account," Fudge said.

"Harry and I are _not lying!_ " Mia exclaimed, finding trouble in keeping her voice low. "The dementors attacked us, and we all would have had our souls sucked out if it wasn't for him! It's not against wizard law if an underage wizard uses magic in a life threatening situation—"

"Mia," Dumbledore muttered calmly. "That is enough."

Mia took in a breath and felt her cheeks go pink, glancing over at him.

"Sorry, professor," she mumbled guiltily.

"You need to watch yourself in this courtroom, girl," Fudge seethed angrily.

"Perhaps this would be an appropriate time to call in the next witness?" Dumbledore suggested.

"We do not have time for all of these witnesses Dumbledore!" Fudge snapped.

"I feel that this particular witness will better meet your standards, as she is not a friend or acquaintance to Mr. Potter, Also, under the Wizengamot Charter of Rights, the accused has the right to present any amount of witnesses to his or her case," Dumbledore stated, turning his gaze to the woman who had spoken to Mia before. "Is that correct, Madame Bones?"

"Indeed, it is," Madame Bones replied.

"Very well, let's get on with it!" Fudge barked impatiently. In the next moment, Mrs. Figg was brought into the courtroom, and Dumbledore kindly set up another chair. Fudge asked Mrs. Figg her account of what had happened that night, and her story was very similar to Mia's. The elder woman explained how she had been on her way home from buying cat food from the local store, and she heard a disturbance. She saw two dementors go down the ally where Harry and Dudley were, and proceeded to attack the boys. She then saw Mia run into the ally as well, and after she failed to produce a Patronus, Harry managed to do it, and drive the dementors away. Some members of the court, along with Fudge, did not seem happy at all with this, and he begrudgingly announced that Mrs. Figg and Mia could leave the room. Mia was about to protest to this, wanting to stay with Harry until they made a verdict, but she closed her mouth at the last minute, wisely biting back any kind of retort she had. No matter how much of an arse Fudge was being, he was still minister, and it would not look good on Harry or Dumbledore if she spoke out of line again. Letting out an impatient huff, Mia stood to her feet along with Mrs. Figg, although before she left, her face softened as she looked at Harry, giving him the best encouraging smile she could muster, and was glad when he gave her one in return. She followed Mrs. Figg out of the room, and when the door had closed behind them, Mia let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding in and slouched against the wall, closing her eyes.

"Mia," Mr. Weasley said as he hurried over to her. "How did it go?"

"Well, Fudge is being horribly ignorant and obtuse," Mia muttered, glaring resentfully at the closed door. "I swear he's making it his goal to convict Harry no matter what."

"I'm afraid she's really not making an exaggeration, Arthur," Mrs. Figg added disdainfully. "I better get back up to the Atrium, I'm sure Fudge's assistant will want a full detail of my family history when they get out. Please do let me know how it all goes, and don't worry Mia, you did well."

Mrs. Figg patted Mia's cheek tenderly before making her way back down the hall, her bag clanking a little, and Mia smiled, knowing there was probably some cat food in there. Mr. Weasley asked what had happened in the courtroom, and Mia replayed everything that went on while she was in there, from Fudge's questions, to his displeasure that Mia and Mrs. Figg had described the same scenario of what had happened last week. When she was done speaking, Mr. Weasley looked a bit troubled, but assured her that there should really be nothing to fear, not with all the evidence stacked up on Harry's side. No matter how bad some wizards may want to convict him, in the eyes of the law, Harry did nothing wrong. He was agitated that Fudge tried using Mia's friendship with Harry against her, but he gave her a small smirk, when she admitted how she had talked back to him.

"As wrong as it may have been to speak to the minister in such a way, that's good on you Mia for sticking up for yourself," Arthur said. "Just don't tell Molly I said that."

"Your secret's safe with me," Mia promised, giving him a smile of her own before resuming her pacing up and down the hall. The minutes crawled by at a snail's pace, and Mia wished she had a watch on her so she knew how long the hearing was taking. Finally, after what felt like centuries of waiting, the door to the courtroom opened suddenly, and Dumbledore strode out, his face blank, but something in his eyes that Mia couldn't quite decipher. He smiled at both her and Mr. Weasley as he walked past, not saying a word as he started going down the corridor. Mia jogged a couple steps after him.

"Professor!" she called out. "Please!"

Dumbledore ceased his walking for a moment and turned around to face her. In a matter of five seconds, his eyes began twinkling brightly behind his glasses, and a beaming smile came across his face, making Mia's heart leap in her chest and a bubbling feeling of hope and excitement swelling inside of her.

"I'll see you at school, Mia," he said simply before turning around and continuing his way down the corridor. Soon he rounded the corner and fell out of sight, and Mia stared at the place he disappeared, not daring to get her hopes up, but the way the butterflies were swirling inside of her stomach made it extremely difficult. About a minute later, the door to the room opened once again, and she saw Harry step out of it. The moment their eyes met, a wide grin settled on Harry's lips, and Mia knew. All trace of fear, worry, and guilt vanished in the blink of an eye, and the smile Mia gave him threatened to split her face in two. She gave a loud shout of glee and relief as she launched herself into Harry's arms, holding onto him tightly and laughing in pure delight. He did it! _He did it!_

"Yes!" she yelled triumphantly. "You little prat, you did it! You're cleared!"

Harry just laughed along with her as he twirled her around, hugging her just as fiercely. Mia never stopped smiling as she held him, feeling close to faint with the relief that came over her. They did it! She couldn't believe they actually pulled it off! Harry was coming back to Hogwarts! She and Harry hugged for another minute before they broke apart, Mia's eyes shining brightly.

"Harry, this is wonderful!" Mr. Weasley said. "Well, of course they couldn't have found you guilty, not with all the evidence you presented, but still, I couldn't help but worry—"

"We have to celebrate!" Mia gushed, her happiness making her extremely cheerful. "I promise, the first time we go to Hogsmeade this year, anything you want, it's on me! Zonkos, Honeydukes, Cobbler's, you name it, it's yours!"

"Anything?" Harry asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hey, don't get any weird ideas Potter," Mia said, playfully punching his shoulder. "Half of me still wants to beat you for putting me through this in the first place! I hope you know that when I'm twenty and have a head full of gray hairs and a bad heart condition because of you, you're going to be cooking my meals, reading boring novels to me and taking me out on walks in my wheelchair for the rest of your life."

"It's a date," Harry chuckled, pulling Mia in for another hug and making her smile even bigger, if that was possible.

"All right you two, let's go back and tell everyone the good news," Mr. Weasley laughed. The two teens nodded and, with their hearts much lighter than they had been before, they set of down the corridor, the day seeming brighter and warmer already.

 **Read and review please. Thank you guys so much for all your support, it really means the world to me, and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	6. Untold Stories and Uncertain Futures

**Hi there everyone, how are you? Well, here it is, chapter six, and it's not nearly as good as chapters I've written in the past. I guessed this can technically be considered a filler chapter, but I wanted to try giving this story a bit of my own flare instead of just rewriting every chapter and just adding Mia's name here and there. I wanted to try and focus on her relationships with other characters as well as touch on certain issues/worries that's going on in her life. I know this is past due, but I hope that this was decent enough to have been worth the wait.**

 **As per usual if you guys have any questions or comments, please message me or write them in the reviews, I love getting them. And thank you all for your support, things are getting better for me, and I'm trying to have a more positive attitude from here on out. It means a lot that you guys have stuck with me for this long, and you, and you all alone is what drive me to keep going, knowing so many people love my stories and want to read more. Please review, tell me what you all think, and even drop in any suggestions you may have for this book or others, and I'll see what I can do. Thank you guys again, and I'll see you in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Six: Untold Stories and Uncertain Futures

MPOV

Over the next few days after the hearing, the anxious tension that had been contained in Grimmauld Place had drastically evaporated, and everything seemed to be more cheerful and giddy, with the summer sun streaming in through the windows, and laughter taking the place of grim whispers. Needless to say, everyone had been beyond relieved and happy that Harry managed to get cleared of all charges, with Mia, Ginny, Fred and George doing a weird sort of tribal dance, chanting the words _"He got off, he got off,"_ over and over again. Mrs. Weasley cooked everyone a fabulous meal that night to celebrate, with Sirius rummaging through some old cupboards until he found an old bottle of aged elf wine for the adults to share. It was a very lively and festive night, and Harry was most about at the fact that in less than a month, he would be going to back to Hogwarts with his friends.

Although, as time went by, Mia couldn't help but notice that there was one person who didn't seem too thrilled at the fact that Harry would be returning to school. Sirius indeed was happy that Harry had gotten through his hearing, giving him a tight hug and clapping him on the , his smile stretching across his bearded face, but over the next few days his mood seemed to grow a little surlier and glum, spending more and more time shut up in his parent's room with Buckbeak. As it turns out, Harry had noticed the change in his godfather as well, and one day while he and the others were cleaning out mold in the cupboards, he confided his feelings of guilt to them. Hermione instantly shot this down, telling him he had nothing to be guilty for. She explained that Sirius was more than likely a bit sour at the fact that Harry wouldn't be staying with him now that he was cleared to go back to school with them.

"If you ask me, I say he's being selfish about the whole thing," Hermione commented.

"That's a bit harsh, Mione," Mia said with a frown as she scrubbed down one side of the cupboard so hard her arms were starting to ache a bit. "I say he has a right to feel a little upset that Harry can't be with him."

"Be that as it may, I think Ron's mum might be right in saying that he can't tell the difference between Harry and his father."

"So you think he's touched in the head?" Harry demanded heatedly.

"I'm only saying I think he's been very lonely for a very long time," Hermione replied.

"Exactly," Mia stated. "The man has spent twelve years in hell on earth, the guilt of having his friends death over his head, and not being able to see Harry in years. He's a criminal on the run, and the one person he cares for more than anything cannot stay with him because of this. Tell me you wouldn't have a selfish moment too, Hermione, a part of you hoping that Harry might end up being expelled, just to have a little more time with him?"

"That's not fair to Harry though—"

"I'm not saying it's right," Mia cut in. "I'm just saying I understand his feelings."

At that moment their conversation had been broken up by the arrival of Mrs. Weasley, but Mia couldn't get Hermione's words out of her head. Yes, she did understand how Sirius felt, but something told her that Hermione may have been onto something. She could tell that Sirius loved Harry, anyone could see that, but there might be a boundary where Sirius sometimes sees his best friend instead of his son. And she knew that no matter the situation, Harry would still be feeling guilty that he was making Sirius upset, and it made Mia sad and angry, mostly towards that vile little rat that had escaped just over a year ago, and was the sole reason that Harry and Sirius couldn't be together. Later on that night, Mia and the others had a bit of free time to themselves before dinner started, and almost everyone was gathered in the main parlor, including Remus and Tonks, both of whom had dropped by. Mrs. Weasley was handing out cups of tea, and there was a very pleasant atmosphere in the room, however, there was just one person missing from all the cheerfulness. Mia looked over at the staircase from her position in the armchair, deep in thought as she bit her lip. Should she really intervene? This wasn't really any of her business, and it wouldn't be right to pry.

But it wasn't long at all before her and all her friends would be on the train back to Hogwarts, and she knew both Sirius and Harry would regret not spending enough time together before then. Sighing heavily to herself, Mia stood up and, knowing this probably wasn't the best idea, started walking up the stairs. It only took her a few minutes before she reached her destination, and when she did, she found herself standing outside a black door with elegantly carved designs into it, with an old fashioned silver handle. Sighing once again, Mia raised her hand and knocked on the door three times.

"Sirius, it's me," she called. "Can I come in?"

She heard a slightly muffled, "Come on in," and then she carefully opened the door that led into the room. What awaited her was what probably used to be a grand and divine master bedroom, however, it had certainly aged, along with the rest of the house, with many cobwebs, dust, grim, and rotting wooden furniture littered about, although, there were some new messes as well. Bit and pieces of animal bones were thrown carelessly against the walls, mostly rat bones, and there were some scratches on the walls, along with many feathers on the floor. Turning her gaze over to the center of the room, she saw Sirius sitting on a chair in front of the bed, where Buckbeak the Hippogriff was laying, his wings tucked into his sides, and chewing at another rat Sirius must have given him.

"Hi Sirius," she greeted.

"Hello Mia," Sirius said with a tiny smile. "What are you doing up here?"

"I wanted to make sure you and Buckbeak were still breathing," Mia answered cheekily as she took a couple steps forward, causing Buckbeak to lift his head. She bowed down to the magnificent beast, never taking her eyes off of him, and it was only a matter of seconds before he bowed back. Smiling, Mia walked forward and instantly began petting his head, snuggling her face into the feathers at his neck.

"Hi there, boy," she said. "Remus and Tonks have just arrived, Sirius. Aren't you going to come down and say hello?"

"Maybe in a little while," Sirius said, gesturing over towards a bloody bag at his feet. "I still have to feed the rest of these to Buckbeak."

"Sirius," Mia said slowly, not sure exactly how to phrase it. "Are you okay?"

"Never better," Sirius answered vaguely. "Why do you ask?"

"Let's just say I have an infuriating curiosity that can lead to trouble almost as good as your danger magnet of a godson," Mia told him. "It's just, ever since the hearing you've been acting…different. More closed off, and it's obvious you're upset about something."

Sirius' face was indifferent, but there was something in his eyes that looked remarkably like denial and shame as he pretended to be shifting through the bag of rats. He didn't say anything, and so Mia gently pressed on.

"Are you upset because Harry's going back to school?" she said softly.

"I'm wondering whether or not you should ask this," Sirius said.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I know that this is something that's a bit complicated for both of you. It's not my business as to what's going on in your head, I'm just worried because whether it's guilt or something else, it's making you shy away from everyone, and it's making Harry miserable."

"What?" said Sirius in surprise.

"Harry thinks it's his fault that you're upset," Mia explained to him. "He won't say it out loud, but I know that's what he thinks."

Sirius went silent for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing as he glared at the rat in his hands. Mia sighed quietly to herself before brightening up a bit, an idea coming to her.

"Did I ever mention how Harry and I became friends with Ron and Hermione?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Sirius muttered.

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell Ron's mum," Mia said with a small smirk. Finally, Sirius lifted his head and turned to look at her, and she could see a tiny mischievous gleam in his eyes, his face softening while his lips twitched.

"I think you may have caught my interest there, Mia," he stated, to which she grinned.

"Well, Ron literally stumbled into our train compartment in our first year," she started while continuing to stroke Buckbeak. "We all bonded over magical treats, and once we fed him, we were basically stuck with him. We met Hermione that day too, but I was the only one who liked her. Mione was a bit overbearing at the time, and it drove the boys mad because she was always nagging at them."

"What changed?" Sirius said.

"A mountain troll," Mia replied bluntly.

"A what?"

"A highly disgusting, ten foot, fully grown troll that decided to stroll into one of the girl's bathroom one night. Ron had said something pretty mean to Hermione, and she was crying in one of the stalls. I went to comfort her, but we didn't realize a troll had gotten inside, and we were trapped in the bathroom with it. But once Harry and Ron realized that we didn't know about the troll, they came looking for us."

"You four didn't…" Sirius said, his voice trailing off as a concerned look came onto his face.

"Well, we didn't really have a choice. Harry and Ron tried throwing pipes and bits of wood at it to make it confused, Hermione was too scared to move, and I had the bright idea of going after it myself. I ended up getting hung upside down and Harry tried strangling it by jumping up onto its back. In the end, Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club with the levitation spell."

Sirius stared at her for a full five seconds before he took a breath, softly clearing his throat in an attempt to be casual, but Mia could see the corners of his mouth twitch and it was obvious that he was torn between worrying about the fact his godson and his friends faced against a mountain troll and laughing himself silly at their methods of taking it down.

"You four just can't seem to keep out of trouble can you?" he said, not being able to keep back a chuckle. "Compared to that, the circumstances where I met James and Remus seem awfully close to normal. Were any of you hurt?"

"No, we managed to get away unscathed," Mia replied. "Professor McGonagall and some other teachers showed up after that and you can imagine her reaction. Harry and Ron were fixing to get in trouble, but Hermione spoke up. She lied, saying she went looking for the troll to handle it by herself, and that the rest of us were trying to stop her. She got five points taken off, but we managed to receive five points each as well. After that, we all became friends."

"Merlin's beard," Sirius whispered shaking his head. "Looks like I've got my hands full with Harry, huh?"

"Try spending all year with him," Mia chuckled.

"So what other adventures have you lot been on?" he asked.

"Can't say."

"How come?"

"Because there's a bespectacled git downstairs who I know would love to tell you all about them himself," Mia answered. Sirius once again grew a bit quiet at this, consumed in his thoughts. Mia smiled sadly at him.

"He won't be gone forever," she promised. "Just…think about it? And don't stay cooped up in here forever, Mrs. Weasley's making her famous pot roast and potatoes. You should probably get some before Ron eats it all."

Sirius snorted quietly, smiling a bit and Mia then gave Buckbeak one last pat on his beak before she turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her. By the time she went back downstairs, she came upon everyone basically the same as she left them, and she made her way over to where Hermione was sitting with a book in her lap, although she was talking with Ginny.

"Where did you go, Mia?" Ginny asked once she sat down.

"On a daring and dangerous mission," Mia replied with a sly grin. "It was into the vast unknown, filled with terrifying obstacles, frightening mysteries, where I had to use all my wit and intellect to make it out alive to tell the ghastly tale—"

"You went to go and talk to Sirius didn't you?" Hermione cut in bluntly.

"What the—how—" Mia stuttered.

"The only ones not here at the moment are Mrs. Weasley, who is in the kitchen, Sirius and Kreacher, and I highly doubt you went to go and talk to him," Hermione said.

"Way to go and ruin my fun, Mione," Mia muttered while Ginny giggled. "I know I shouldn't have meddled, I just don't like seeing him and Harry upset. I'm not sure how much good it did though, he can be stubborn."

"All you ever do is meddle," Hermione stated playfully with a smile. "But with good intention."

"Thanks Hermione, I appreciate that," Mia laughed with an eye roll.

"Anyway, I'm sure you convinced him to come to his senses," Ginny said confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" Mia said.

"The fact that he's coming into the room right now," Ginny answered, gesturing with her head.

"What?" Mia and Hermione said in unison before they turned their heads over to where Sirius was indeed striding into the room, a genuine smile on his face and his eyes lighting up when he caught sight of Remus standing over by the fireplace talking with Mr. Weasley. Remus looked up as Sirius came over and a happy grin came across his face as the two greeted one another with a brotherly embrace, patting each other's back. Mia couldn't help but stare in surprise as she saw that his mood had changed in the very short time she had last seen him. He seemed more at ease, accepting even, and was joining in on the conversation joyfully. At one point, Sirius walked over to Harry, who stood up to greet his godfather, and looked taken aback when Sirius brought him in for a hug. He returned it after a few seconds and then Sirius pulled back to ruffle his hair.

"Wow, that couldn't have been more than ten minutes," Ginny said with a laugh. "Well done, Mia."

Mia giggled at that as she continued watching Sirius and Harry. The older wizard leaned down and muttered something in Harry's ear, and the young boy's eyes widened in shock and bewilderment. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him that looked remarkably similar to the one Ben would give Mia when he was expecting an explanation for something she did. Harry's eyes stared around until they found her, and they gave her a light glare that was only half-hearted. Her smile slipped off her face as her own eyes widened and she reached over for Hermione's book slowly, holding it in front of her to hide herself from Harry's accusing stare.

"Why is Harry looking at you like that?" Ginny said.

"No reason," Mia said too quickly.

"Then why are you hiding?" Hermione asked suspiciously, attempting to push the book away, but Mia had it in a tight grip. "What did you do?"

"Um, well…"

Thankfully their questioning was cut short when Mrs. Weasley appeared at the door, announcing that dinner was ready. Mia, grateful for the distraction, was saved from answering as she bolted to her feet and practically ran out the door, hearing Sirius' barking laugh behind her.

…..

On the very last day of the holidays, Mia was sitting in the room she shared with Hermione and Ginny, the three of them packing and making sure they had everything they needed for tomorrow when they would be leaving for Hogwarts once again. At one point Sapphire had entered the room and jumped up on Mia's bed, walking over her school uniform and meowing at her owner.

"Sapphire, not all over my clothes," Mia scolded lightly as she picked up her beautiful pet and sat down on the bed with her, cuddling her close. "You should get your rest girl, we have a long trip tomorrow."

"I can't believe we're finally going back," Hermione said as she stowed away her many books inside of her trunk. "And it's our OWL year on top of that, Mia! Isn't that exciting? We'll be taking the exams that help us move on to our future careers!"

"I don't envy you guys," Ginny said. "I'm glad I still have another year before I have to take them."

"I just hope Harry and Ron are up for it," Mia said with a giggle. "You know how they feel about studying."

"Ron's worse," Hermione stated. "At least you can convince Harry to do his work, with Ron it's like trying to pull teeth out."

"That's putting it lightly," Ginny laughed. "Do you guys even know what you want to do after school."

"I was thinking about maybe going into the Ministry," Hermione admitted. "And involving myself with something that will help make a difference in our world. But I'm not sure exactly what yet, and with everything going on at the Ministry…"

"Hopefully things will be resolved at that point," Mia put in, scratching Sapphire's head.

"Maybe," Hermione said. "Have you thought more about what you want to do, Mia?"

"Er, um," Mia said slowly, biting her lip. To be perfectly honest, she hasn't given her career that much thought, and now that it was their OWL year, she knew she had to make a decision fairly soon. There were so many things in the world she could do, in both the wizarding world and the Muggle world. She racked her brains to think of something that she was good at, but she couldn't find much. Her best classes at school are Charms and Potions, and she considered herself pretty good in her other classes as well. What could she do? She didn't have any other particular talents, unless you counted her paintings and drawings, but she couldn't make a life off of doing that.

"I'm honestly not sure what I'm going to do Hermione," Mia replied truthfully. "I'm really not that great at anything."

"Don't be absurd, of course you are," Hermione interjected.

"Name one thing," Mia said.

"You taught Harry most of the spells he needed last year for the tournament and helped him go through all those books until he got it right," Hermione said. "That's teacher material right there."

"You are the best in your year at Potions, you can make anything," Ginny added. "You excel in that class, Snape can't fail you even though he wants to. There's a lot you can do with that."

"There are Potioneers at the ministry," Hermione said thoughtfully. "They're always making new things."

"Or you could go into business and open up an Apothecary store in Diagon Alley," Ginny said.

"Or your drawings! You could even start out painting magical portraits for wealthy clients or companies."

"Or you could just be a rebel and be a waitress in a Muggle tavern."

"Okay, I only said name one!" Mia laughed at them. "Well, whatever I do, I want it to be along the same lines as your idea, Hermione. I want to make a difference…I want to help people in some way."

"You still have some time to figure it out. Just don't take too long, McGonagall will be setting up conferences for us not too long before our exams," said Hermione. Mia nodded just as there was a knock on the door, and Mrs. Weasley walked in with three envelopes in her hand.

"Your letters have finally arrived," she said as she handed them out to each girl. "It's a good thing too, I was getting worried. I'll leave you all to look over them, and just let me know what you need, I'll run out and get them for you. Mia, I can exchange some of your Muggle money at the bank for you if you'd like, and I can take your cloak to Madame Malkin's to get it sized properly."

"Thank you so much Mrs. Weasley," Mia said as she placed Sapphire next to her so she could open up her letter. Mrs. Weasley left the room and they all took a moment to open their envelopes and see what was needed for the new school year. There were only two new books they needed, one for Transfiguration and the other for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Thoughts of a career was still lingering on Mia's mind as she read her letter, going over which classes she thought she needed and which ones she didn't need. With everything going on right now, it was hard to think of what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Deciding to worry about that later on, Mia placed her letter next to her and resumed placing her things away in her trunk and bag. At that moment there was s harp gasp and she looked over to see Hermione gaping wide-eyed at her letter, her jaw almost dropping to the floor. She wouldn't respond when Mia and Ginny asked what was wrong, so they walked up behind Hermione to see what was in her letter.

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that out of your fellow fifth year students, you have been selected as Gryffindor Prefect for the upcoming school year. Your academic achievements and satisfactory leadership abilities have placed you as the top candidate for this position. Along with your normal studies, your duties as Prefect include monitoring your fellow classmates behavior and having the authority to hand out punishments and rewards as necessary, and are permitted specific benefits. The first Prefect's meeting will be held on the Hogwarts Express on September 1_ _st_ _, where all Prefects will be introduced and expected to carry out the tasks given by the Head Boy and Head Girl._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

"Prefect?" Mia gasped, staring at Hermione with a beaming grin as she finally noticed the shining gold and silver badge in her hand that had an embedded 'P' on it, along with the Gryffindor lion in the corner. "Hermione, you're a Prefect!"

"I—I'm a Prefect!" Hermione said, her eyes shining in happiness. "I can't believe it!"

"As if we didn't see that one coming," Ginny laughed as Mia pulled Hermione in for a tight hug.

"Congratulations Mione," Mia gushed, feeling so excited for her friend. "Who do you think is the other Prefect?"

"It has to be Harry," Hermione answered, practically bouncing on her feet. "It can't be anyone else. Come on, let's see!"

All three girls left their room quickly and went up the flight of stairs that would take them to the boy's room. When they reached it, Hermione thrust the door open so hard it hit the wall and she ran straight into the room, her letter still clutched in her hand. Mia ran in after her along with Ginny, and she glanced around to see Harry, Ron, Fred and George all standing together by Ron's bed. Mia let out a gasp as she saw the very same badge in Harry's hand.

"I knew it!" Hermione shrieked in excitement as she waved her letter. "Me too Harry, me too!"

"What? Oh, no," Harry objected handing the badge over to Ron. "It's Ron, not me. Ron's been made Prefect."

"It—what?"

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

"It's my name on the letter," Ron said indignantly. It was safe to say that Mia was completely stunned at this discovery. Ron was a Prefect? _Ron?_ This was more than a little shocking—if anything, Mia really believed that Harry would have been made Prefect. Compared to all the other boys in their year, he was the one who had been through the most. Then again, maybe it was because of all that that Harry couldn't be one? With all the trouble he got into, it makes sense, but at the same time, between him and Ron, Mia was so sure it would be Harry. No one said much of anything else as the door to the room opened again and Mrs. Weasley stepped in, carrying a fresh load of clean laundry and asking about their school lists. She was planning on going to Diagon Alley that afternoon, and she told Ron that she needed to get him some more pajamas as well, since he's been getting so tall now. When she asked him what color he would like, George said that red and gold would go nicely with the new Prefect's badge he got. The words took a minute to sink in, but the second they did, Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek like Hermione's and threw her arms around Ron, tears welling in her eyes in happiness. She was gushing over how her baby boy was made Prefect, that she was so very proud of him, and this was only the first step into possibly being made Head Boy while the twins were feigning getting sick behind her back. Mrs. Weasley insisted that Ron should be rewarded and asked what he wanted. The redhead tentatively asked if he could have a new broom, and Mrs. Weasley hesitated, as brooms were very expensive. She promised she would see what she could do about the broom and then she left them be so she could start shopping, dabbing at her eyes and kissing Ron all over his face before she went.

During all of this, Mia couldn't help but smile. No matter how many adventures Ron was a part of in their group, he had always been overshadowed, and it made him rather bitter sometimes. Now, he had actually achieved something, something that he could be proud of and be known for instead of the youngest Weasley son and Harry Potter's best friend. Despite the shock that came along with it, the more she thought about it, the more Mia felt happy that Ron had managed to obtain an important position at school like this. While Fred and George were snickering at him, Mia went over and gave Ron a hug.

"Congratulations Ron," she said to him.

"Thanks," he said, a smile coming to his face. "Still a bit hard to believe though. But at least I'll have a new broom though. I know she won't be able to afford a Nimbus, but there's a new Cleansweep out! I should go tell her."

"Oh yes, we certainly must!" George exclaimed dramatically, placing his hands on his hips.

"We must inform mother dearest to purchase the correct broom, or all will be lost!" Fred added, putting on an air of terror. "Hurry, there's no time to waste little brother!"

Without a word, the twins grabbed both of Ron's arms and lifted him off of his feet, to which he gave a loud protest, and scurried from the room, letting out loud battle cries which ended up waking the portrait of Mrs. Black. Ginny rolled her eyes at her elder brothers and hurried out of the room to go and help stop Mrs. Black's screeches.

"Those two!" Hermione muttered in agitation.

"Come on Hermione, they always have to mess around with Ron about something," Mia giggled.

"They better watch themselves, or Ron can give them a detention," Hermione sighed. "Anyway, I'm surprised, but I'm happy for him too. Harry, would it be okay if I borrow Hedwig so I can write to my mum and dad? They'll love to hear about this."

"Sure," Harry replied, bending over his bed to take the clean robes Mrs. Weasley had given him and put them in his trunk. "Go ahead. Take her."

Mia was surprised to hear Harry speak in such a hoarse voice that wasn't his own, and she instantly grew worried. Harry was doing all he could to avoid eye contact with either of them, busying himself with his clothes and his face blank. His lack of a reaction was unsettling and Mia glanced over at Hermione. A silent conversation passed between them and Hermione called Hedwig down from the top of the wardrobe before leaving the room with her. Mia sighed to herself as she walked over and sat down on Harry's bed, leaning back on her hand and staring at him.

"What?" Harry said.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Harry, I know you well enough to know when something is bothering you," Mia said. "Tell me the truth—are you upset that Ron's been made Prefect instead of you?"

Harry frowned as he threw a pair of socks into the trunk.

"I've done more than him though," he muttered.

"He's done some things too, though," Mia said gently. "He didn't ask for the badge. He was just as surprised as the rest of us."

"I just didn't expect…it would have been nice to…"

"Harry, it's normal to be jealous," Mia said. "Because you're not the only one."

"What? You are?" he asked.

"A little, yes," Mia admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I love Hermione, and I'm very happy for her, but at the same time, I wish it would have been me that got noticed. Being a Prefect would have been really nice. We're not perfect Harry, and compared to you guys, I'm not that great so I understand a little of what Ron is feeling."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hermione, Ginny and I were talking about what we were thinking of pursuing as far as future careers goes," Mia said, her voice going a bit soft. "And I kind of realized that I can't really do that much. You're the Boy Who Lived, the strength in our group. Hermione's the smartest witch in our year, Ron's a Prefect now, and with a new broom he could even try out for Quidditch if he wanted, and I'm just…here."

"Don't ever say that," Harry said firmly, sitting down next to her and reaching for her hand, his eyes glaring into hers. "You're more than just _here._ You have nothing to be jealous of."

"I know, sometimes I can't help but feel that way," Mia explained. "Just as you can't help but feel jealous of Ron right now. You don't need that badge to make you special, you do that already on your own. Besides, think about it—both of our best friends are Prefects! Think of all the things we could get away with now! All the pranks we could pull on Malfoy, it'll be glorious!"

Harry snorted at that and managed to give her a true smile. Mia smiled back at him and pulled him in for a brief hug, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks, Mia."

"That's what I'm here for."

…..

At long last, it was finally time to go back to school, and Mia was more than excited. She felt giddy at the thought of seeing the castle again, visiting Hagrid, practicing magic, and eating in the Great Hall. As per usual, the Weasley tradition of getting ready to head out was utter chaos. Not too long after she had gotten dressed with the girls, they were moving their luggage down the stairs into the front hall, but Fred and George attempted a faster way. They bewitched their trunks to fly down the stairs so they wouldn't have to carry them, and ended up running straight into Ginny, knocking her down two flights of stairs, landing in a heap at the bottom. Mia had yelled her name in fright and raced after her to check and see if she was all right while Mrs. Weasley began screaming herself hoarse at her sons.

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW, IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO WHIP OUT YOUR WANDS FOR EVERYTHING! YOU COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY HURT HER YOU IDIOTS—"

This only caused Mrs. Black's portrait to wake up and add in her very loud opinion on the matter. While ran back upstairs to see if the boys were up, Mia made her way to Ginny and helped her to her feet, her eyes going wide at the red mark on her head that would surely become a bruise and a small cut in her lip. Ginny assured her that she was okay, although she clutched at her side while she said it. While continuing to scold the twins, Mrs. Weasley hurried over to them and checked over her daughter while Fred and George jumped the last couple steps to see if their sister was all right. Luckily, Mia had some Elvave Balm on her that she had made in Potions at the end of last year, and she was able to help Mrs. Weasley apply it to Ginny's lip. It was madness with everyone clamoring over each other, leaving all the luggage in the hall for Mad-Eye to deal with, and Mia had to hurry to gather Sapphire into her cage while Mrs. Weasley called upstairs for the others. Everyone was running back and forth, cramming last minute items into their bags, stuffing pieces of toast into their mouths while pulling on their jumpers, and hollering instructions back and forth to one another. Soon enough Harry, Ron and Hermione came down with their things, and Mrs. Weasley said that Harry would be going with her and Tonks first, and then the rest of them would follow behind in small groups. Also, to Mrs. Weasley's annoyance, Sirius would be coming along with them as well in his dog form, panting and waving his tail excitedly as he jumped over all the luggage to get to Harry's side. Harry smiled at his godfather as the canine circled around Harry's legs and affectionately bumped his hand. Mrs. Weasley huffed at him for being so ridiculous before they headed outside the door, with Mia giving him a wink and telling him they'll meet up in a little bit. After about ten minutes, Mia was leaving the house with Hermione, Ron and Mr. Weasley, her wand tucked safely into her bag and walking with a spring in her step, anxious to get to the station.

"Do you really think we're being watched, Dad?" Ron muttered to Mr. Weasley.

"Perhaps not, but we can never be too careful," Mr. Weasley replied.

"I have a bottle of Sageboil Powder in my bag," Mia assured them as she patted it. "I'd like to see anyone try anything."

"Is there anything you don't have in your bag?" Ron asked.

"What on earth is Sageboil Powder?" Hermione asked.

"Something I cooked up," Mia answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "It's like ignited gunpowder, but with a bigger kick that can leave painful marks."

"I knew Harry getting you that potion making kit was a mistake," Ron said, shaking his head. The four of them managed to make it to the station in about twenty minutes, where they headed down to platform nine and ten, and walked over to the barrier that would lead them to the secret entrance taking them to Platform nine and three quarters. Once the coast was clear, they leaned against the barrier and smoothly fell through the wall. A huge grin lit up Mia's face as she caught sight of the beautiful steam engine and the crowded platform. Laughter and noise filled her ears, and she easily found Harry and Mrs. Weasley up ahead with an elderly woman, who she presumed was Tonks in disguise. Sirius was staring around at everything in awe, wagging his tail frantically, and Mia smiled. This was probably the first time he has seen the platform in many, many years. It was mere minutes before the train was supposed to leave, and so Mad-Eye appeared under the guise of a porter and helped them all load their luggage onto the train. When the warning whistle blew, hugs, handshakes, and kisses were exchanged hastily all around as they all prepared their goodbyes.

"You be good, Snuffles," Mia said, patting his head. "Try not to give Remus a hard time."

"He excels in that, unfortunately," Remus said with a small smile. Sirius barked in response before jumping up on his hind legs and placing his front paws on Harry's chest, licking his face all over.

"Urgh, Snuffles!" he groaned. Mrs. Weasley quickly ushered them all onto the train just as the last whistle blew, and Mia followed in behind Ron as they clamored through the door. Once they were all on, they leaned out of the windows in order to wave goodbye just as the train started to move. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley Moody, Remus, and Tonks all waved goodbye while Sirius opted for running alongside their window, grinning up at them while others laughed at the silly canine. Once they rounded the corner, Sirius disappeared along with everyone else, falling out of sight as the Hogwarts Express started making its way back home. The thought made a warm feeling settle in Mia's stomach and she couldn't wait. They were going back!

"Finally," she breathed, turning to the others with a smile. "I thought this summer would never end."

"Shall we go find a compartment then?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks at this, shifting uncomfortable on their feet.

"What is it?" Mia said.

"Well…Ron and I are supposed to be going to the Prefect's meeting," Hermione said carefully. "We have to receive our instructions and patrol the corridors. I don't think we'll have to do it the whole journey though."

"Oh," Mia said, her smile fading just a little. She and Harry had always rode together with Ron and Hermione ever since they started school. It would be very weird to be without them for most of the trip this time.

"We'd much rather not go," Ron told them. "I'm not enjoying it, I'm not Percy."

"I know you're not," Harry said, and Mia was glad to see that he was smiling.

"Go on, we'll save you some seats," Ginny said. Ron and Hermione nodded and then they went off together to find the Prefect's compartment near the front end of the train. Mia was sad to watch them go, but she knew they'd meet up again before they reached Hogwarts. She grabbed a hold of Harry's arm and began dragging him down the corridor.

"Come on," she said. "We better get moving if we want to find a good compartment."

Harry smiled and then the three of them set off to find somewhere to sit. It wasn't easy though, as many of the compartments they passed were practically filled to the brink, and the ones that had some room in them had people who pointed, stared, and even outright glared at Harry. Mia frowned at this—people really didn't understand the concept of subtle manners, did they? Sighing to herself, she walked ahead of them, still looking, until they reached the very last carriage on the train. It was there that they ran into Neville Longbottom, their fellow fifth year Gryffindor, rolling his trunk behind him while clutching his pet toad Trevor at his chest. Mia couldn't help but smile at him. Neville was such a sweet boy, very accident prone, and had a heart as brave and noble as anyone she's ever met, even if he didn't realize it himself.

"Hi Neville," she greeted warmly.

"Hi guys," Neville replied with a huff as he lugged his trunk behind him. "Everywhere's full…I can't find a seat…"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, leaning over to peer into the compartment behind Neville. "There's plenty of room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in there."

"Loony who?" Mia asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Luna Lovegood," Ginny answered. "She's the girl I told you about, the one in my year."

"Oh yeah," Mia said, remembering Ginny mentioning a Ravenclaw in her year that she talked to. Ginny walked around them to open the compartment door and stuck her head inside.

"Hello, Luna," Ginny said. "Do you mind if we sit in here with you?"

The girl inside must have nodded because after a brief moment of silence, Ginny gave them the okay. When they all trudged inside, Mia turned around to see a girl sitting next to the window and she couldn't help but stare at her. This girl was certainly a little…odd, to say the least. She had stringy, dirty blonde hair that fell to her waist, and rather wide, pale blue eyes the made her expression very dreamy-like, with fair pale skin. She had her wand tucked behind her left ear while she held an upside down magazine in her hand, with a string of butterbeer caps worn around her neck like a piece of jewelry. She wore a mismatched outfit, complete with a green and white polka dot skirt, lavender sweater, and ruby red shoes that reminded Mia of the ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz. This girl stared at them all as they placed their things up on the luggage racks above their heads and took their seats. Mia unlocked the latch on Sapphire's carrier, and the feline stepped out, stretching. After a few minutes, Mia realized that Luna was staring point blank at Harry, but not like the others on the train.

"Had a god summer, Luna?" Ginny said.

"Yes," Luna answered in a voice as dreamy as her expression. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. _You're_ Harry Potter."

"I know I am," Harry said. Mia and Neville both chuckled at his response, causing Luna to look over in their direction.

"And I don't know who you are," she said.

"I'm nobody," Neville replied quickly.

"You're not," Mia told him sternly. "This is Neville Longbottom, and I'm Mia Thatcher. It's nice to meet you Luna."

"And you too," Luna said. "Your cat's really pretty. What's her name?"

"Sapphire."

"Pretty," Luna said again, giving a tiny smile. Then she held the magazine up to cover her face and continued on reading in silence. Harry, Mia and Neville all glanced at each other with raised eyebrows while Ginny suppressed her giggles. As the train rattled on, Mia, figuring she might as well take advantage of the silence, dug into her bag, pulling out her sketchpad and pencils, intending on doing a bit of drawing. Once she had them in her hands, she readjusted herself so her back was propped up against the window and carelessly threw her legs over Harry's knees, so her feet were dangling above the ground.

"What are you doing?" he said.

"Sitting," Mia replied simply, flipping through her book to a fresh clean page.

"I'm not a foot stool, Mia."

"Of course you're not," Mia said in mock appall, fixing Harry with a playful glare. "I would never, ever think of you as just a foot stool, Harry. You're a fabulous pillow, a cozy furnace, a stable lounge chair, fun punching bag, _and_ a foot stool. You're the full package deal that I happen to claim as mine."

Ginny snorted very loudly at that while Neville bit his lip to keep himself from doing the same, and Mia could have sworn she caught a glimpse of Luna's eyes, sparkling in amusement. Harry glared at her but she merely smiled in return, pulling her best doll face.

"You're annoying," he stated.

"You're sensitive," Mia countered.

"Stubborn."

"Thick-headed."

"Mean."

"Intolerable."

"Hard-headed."

"Hey, I said that already!"

"No, you said thick-headed."

"It's the same thing, you git!"

Harry continued to glare at her while poking her in the side, making her squirm a bit. At this, Harry grinned devilishly and Mia narrowed her eyes at him, doing her best to look intimidating while everyone else either laughed or smiled at their expense.

 _"Don't you dare think about it, Harry James!"_

 **Read and review please!**


	7. Another Fun Year

**Hi there everyone, it's really good to be back. Well, here it is, chapter seven of the fifth book in my fanfiction series, and I hope it was worth the wait for you guys. I tried to fill this chapter with a little bit of all the good stuff, so it will leave you feeling happy, sad, and/or mad, depending on how well I did. Just a heads up, I know there may be some of you who won't like that I included the Sorting Hat's song in this chapter, but I personally love all of the hat's song, and this one is extremely important to the series in general, I feel like having the song in here was a must, but that's just me.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys like this one, it's one of my favorites for this book so far, and although I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, Harry and Mia's story is far from over. And I want to give a big shout out to clynch3, your review made me happy, and it felt nice knowing that there are still readers who know that I have no intention of abandoning my stories. Thank you so much, and to everyone else who has reviewed my stories, keep them coming! I'll see you all in the next chapter. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Seven: Another Fun Year

HPOV

Compared to the ones in the past, this train ride wasn't that bad. Harry still felt the slight emptiness at not having all of his close friends with him, but it was nice all the same sitting with Neville, and Ginny, and having Mia there was always an extra bonus. After their brief little tickling and smacking banter, they all settled quite comfortably in their own little worlds. Neville told them of all the trips he had made with his grandmother over the summer, and how his uncle had bought him new plants for him to observe and grow. Luna was content to keep reading her magazine, although she would peek at them every now and again, so Harry knew she was listening too. Mia was lost in herself as she continued drawing in her sketchbook, her legs still draped over his knees, and humming softly to herself. Once in a while she would pause, her eyebrows furrowing a little and a tiny frown set on her face as she would grab a new colored pencil or oil pastel brush. He couldn't help but smile—it was nice seeing his best friend so deeply immersed in something that gave her so much pleasure. When they were little, he could remember her absolutely loving art class in their primary school, and despite what she said, her drawings were always one of the best in the class. She had a natural talent. Curious, Harry started leaning over to try and get a peek at what she was coloring, but Mia pulled her sketchbook closer to her chest, smirking at him.

"Can I help you with something, Mr. Potter?" she asked coyly.

"Can I see?" he said, making his eyes big and round. She rolled her own eyes at him in return, yet she still relented, turning her drawing around so he could have a look at it. Harry was stunned to see an amazing piece of art before him, a very familiar piece at that.

Mia had drawn and was now coloring in her family's cottage in Peddleton. He recognized it from all the times he had been there with Mia, Brian, and their parents. She mastered everything so beautifully and perfectly, from the ivy that were starting to crawl along the walls to the wooden fence that separated the property from the beginnings of the woods. She had only started coloring the floral aspects, such as the grass and bushes, but it was still such an incredible sight.

"What do you think?" Mia asked, and Harry detected a hint of nerves in her voice.

"I think you're absolutely barmy for ever thinking you're not any good," Harry replied bluntly. "This is great Mia."

"Can we see it Mia?" Ginny said with a smile. Mia looked at them for a moment and then, to Harry's surprise, she gave a nod. Mia was always self-conscious of her work, she rarely showed anyone except for Harry, Ron and Hermione. He smiled proudly at her as he passed the sketchbook over to Ginny, and she looked at in in wonder while Neville peered over her shoulder.

"This is wonderful," the redhead said. "I know there are wizards out there who would pay nicely for this kind of work. What do you think, Luna?"

Luna Lovegood lifted her head a bit and her dreamy blue eyes took in the lines on the paper with sparkling interest.

"It's very nice," Luna spoke softly to Mia. "You have a true gift."

"Thank you," Mia muttered, her face turning a little pink at all the praise. "What's that you're reading, Luna?"

" _The Quibbler,"_ Luna answered. "Would you like to see it?"

"Sure," Mia said, taking the magazine as Luna held it out to her curiously. "I've never heard of it before."

"My father is the editor," Luna explained. "It's not as popular as the _Prophet,_ but he's more up to date on actual facts."

Mia's face became intrigued instantly and she opened up the first page, with her blue eyes quickly starting to inhale the words in front of her, a strand of her hair resting against her cheek, having fallen loose from her ponytail. Harry had the sudden, random urge to take it and tuck it behind her ear…

 _Wait, what?_ Harry gave his head a little shake, truly believing he was going bonkers at this point. Why was he thinking about Mia's hair? He knew she was perfectly capable of moving her own hair out of her face if it was bothering her. Yet still, for some reason, the thought was a nice one…a surprisingly nice one. He was taken out of his thoughts when Mia suddenly coughed a little, cleverly hiding a snort. He gave her a questioning look but she simply handed the magazine over to him, her lips twitching ever so slightly, indicating that she was trying her best to keep herself from laughing out loud. Taking the magazine, Harry looked over the article she was pointing at, and the title alone was enough to have him holding in a snort of his own: _**Sirius—Black As He's Painted? Notorious Mass Murderer OR Innocent Singing Sensation?**_

"I don't know who Luna's dad is, but I love him already," Mia whispered in hushed giggles to him. "I'm never letting Snuffles forget this one."

Harry read the article as Ginny handed Mia's sketchbook back to her. Apparently, a woman by the name of Doris Purkiss claims that Sirius had never done any of the murders he was convicted for, because he was really the fabulous lead singer of the musical group, the Hobgoblins, and he was sharing a candlelit dinner with her on that specific night. Harry took a moment to look at Mia with his mouth slightly agape, but she purposely avoided his eyes as she faced Luna.

"There are some interesting stories in there," she said, ever so polite and kind. "It's nice and fresh to be perfectly honest, with all the nonsense the _Daily Prophet_ comes out with. How long has your father been the editor?"

While Mia and Luna made pleasant chatter, Harry went back to magazine, reading the other fairly odd articles that Luna's father wrote within the pages, such as corruption within the Quidditch League and the story of a man who brought back moon frogs from space. After some time, the compartment door opened and Harry smiled when he saw Ron and Hermione come inside, placing their luggage on the racks and, in Ron's case, throwing himself in the seat next to Harry as if he had an exhausting morning.

"Welcome back," Mia greeted, digging into her bag and throwing Ron a chocolate frog.

"Cheers, Mia," he said in return, ripping open the package and nearly swallowing the frog whole. Hermione rolled her eyes as she sat down, going on to tell them that there was a boy and girl prefect in each house. There was Ernie Macmillian and Hannah Abbott for Hufflepuff, Padma Patil and Anthony Goldstien for Ravenclaw, and also, to Harry utter displeasure, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson for Slytherin. Ron vowed he would get Malfoy's friends before he could have the chance to get his, to which Hermione scolded him for abusing his power. Harry just shook his head at them as he kept on scanning through the magazine.

"Anything good in there?" Ron asked when Harry finally closed it.

"Of course not," Hermione bit out. "The _Quibbler's_ rubbish, everyone knows that."

Harry could make out Mia's shooting Hermione a look and drawing her finger across her neck in a silent plea for Hermione to stop talking.

"Excuse me," Luna said, her voice no longer dreamy, but cold. "My father's the editor."

"I—oh," Hermione said, her face flushing in embarrassment. "Well…it's got some interesting…I mean, it's quite…"

"I'll have it back, thank you," Luna said, snatching the magazine out of Harry's hands and disappearing behind it once again. Before anything else was said, the compartment door opened again, and this time Harry didn't even need to look up to see who it was.

"Just one time, is that too much to ask for?" he heard Mia mumble as she dramatically thumped her head against the window.

"What do you want Malfoy?" he snapped before the blonde even had a chance to speak.

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you detention," Malfoy smirked as Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah," Harry said. "But you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

Everyone inside the compartment laughed at that, and Malfoy's expression soured as he glared at them.

"Tell me Potter, how does it feel coming second best to the Weasel?" he sneered.

"I'm sure much better than having to see your face at every meeting," Mia snapped before turning her gaze towards Ron and Hermione. "I actually feel sorry for you two."

"You know Thatcher, I'm surprised you can still be so cheeky," Malfoy said, his sour expression clearing and mirth dancing in his eyes. "Giving your _unfortunate_ predicament last year. It's astonishing that a simple Mudblood like you hadn't cracked."

Harry instantly felt a surge of anger sweep through him at Malfoy's words, and he could feel his face heat up, his eyes narrowing dangerously. How dare he taunt her with the danger she had faced last year? Speaking of it as if it gave him joy? Harry could still remember the horror and rage he felt, seeing Mia tied to a chair and nearly faint with the terrible pain the poison was causing her. The wizard who was impersonating Alastor Moody at the time, Barty Crouch Jr., had attempted to kidnap Mia and take her to the graveyard where Harry was being held, so he could be forced to watch Voldemort and his followers do who knows what to her. Thankfully, Mia managed to figure out what was going on, but the poison had been in her system for too long, and it resulted in her being extremely sick and weak. At that moment Harry wanted nothing more than to jump to his feet and punch Malfoy dead in the face, although it seemed like Ron was two steps ahead, standing up and glaring at the arrogant Slytherin.

"You shut your mouth!" he hissed. "Or I swear I'll shut it for you!"

"Ron, don't!" Ginny and Hermione said together.

"Well, well, it seems I touched a nerve," Malfoy said, pleased to see he had gotten a reaction out of Ron. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be _dogging_ your footsteps in case you step out of line."

"Get out!" Hermione said, also standing to her feet. Malfoy just laughed as he and his baboons left, and Hermione slammed the door shut behind them. Huffing loudly, she shared a look with Harry and he knew they were both thinking the same thing. Neither one of them had noticed the meaning behind Malfoy's words, and Harry immediately started to feel a little worried. Could Malfoy have known about Sirius being the dog on the platform? It wasn't impossible—Malfoy's father more than likely knows about Sirius' animangus form, and if he was at the station, he could have recognized him and told Malfoy. All of a sudden, Sirius accompanying them to the station didn't seem like a good idea at all. In fact, it seemed terribly dangerous. Harry looked over at Mia, wondering if she had noticed Malfoy's meaning as well. If she did, she didn't show it. She merely scowled heavily at the door, although her face softened as she looked over at Ron.

"Thanks Ron," she said, a small smile gracing her lips.

"What was Malfoy talking about?" Neville asked.

"I got really sick at the end of the tournament last year," Mia replied simply, shutting her sketchbook and putting it back in her bag. "I'm sure he was probably disappointed I made a fast recovery."

"If he keeps running his mouth he's going to be the one needing a fast recovery," Harry muttered.

"Aww, you're so cute, Hawwy-bear," Mia cooed with a grin. "At least I'll always have you to stick up for me."

"Mia!" Harry groaned, making a face at the horrid name and causing everyone else to laugh at their expense.

"Love you, Harry," she giggled. Harry just glared at her, making her giggle even more. _She's lucky she's kind of cute when she laughs._

The rest of the ride passed by peacefully as the train traveled further up north, with light rain hitting the windows and the sun playing hide and seek behind the clouds overhead in the sky. As the day slowly became night, Harry kept his sight on the window, hoping that he would be able to catch a glimpse of the castle, although he knew it wasn't very likely. Soon enough, the voice over the speakers informed them all that they would be arriving at the platform in ten minutes, and then Harry left the compartment with Ron and Neville to change into their school uniforms while the girls all got changed. Once they returned, they were all wearing their black uniforms with scarlet and gold linings, except for Luna, who was adorned with the blue and bronze of Ravenclaw. Ron and Hermione bid them farewell for the time being, as they had to go with the other prefects to help all the students get their luggage together and prepare for departure. When the Hogwarts Express finally came to a halt, they all left the compartment and stepped out onto the platform. Harry sighed softly a he smelled the scent of nearby pine trees and felt the cool night air on his face. He looked around at all the other students that were crowded around him, and he listened for the familiar voice calling out "Firs' years over here!"

However, to Harry's surprise, the voice did not come. Instead, Harry's sight fell upon Professor Grubbly-Plank, the witch who had filled in for Hagrid's class briefly last year, waving all of the first year students over to her.

"Where's Hagrid?" he said out loud.

"I'm not sure," Mia replied, glancing at Professor Grubbly-Plank curiously. "Come on Harry, we better get moving."

Harry nodded and then they set off along with the rest of the crowd towards the doorway at the other end of the station. While they did get separated from the others, Harry and Mia made sure to stick together as they were shuffled along. As they moved, Harry couldn't help but wonder where Hagrid was. Was he sick? If so, Harry really hoped that he would get better and come back soon. Seeing Hagrid again had been something he was most looking forward to with coming back to school.

"Don't worry Harry, I'm sure he's fine," Mia said as if she could read his thoughts. "Even though he's half-giant, I'm sure not even he could avoid the common cold. You know it would take a lot for him to miss seeing his favorite person."

"Who says I'm his favorite?" Harry asked.

"Who says I was talking about you?" she countered with a smirk. "I'm far more enjoyable than you are."

"And very modest, obviously," Harry snickered with a roll of his eyes.

"Now, now, Harry, there's no need to be jealous," Mia said, bumping his shoulder. "You'll always be my favorite person, at least."

"Thanks for that."

"That's what I'm here for."

Harry just shook his head at her as they made their way through the doorway and out onto the rain-washed road that would lead them out of Hogsmeade and up to the castle. It was here that hundreds of horseless black carriages awaited to take the students up the path. Harry glanced at the carriages quickly and then snapped his attention back to the fully, his mouth parting slightly in shock, his eyes widening. Instead of the carriages pulling themselves as they do every year, this time they had some sort of creatures pulling them. Strange, odd, and, to be perfectly honest, slightly intimidating creatures, some of the most bizarre Harry has ever seen. They were like horses, but with more of a reptilian feature. There was no flash on their bodies, with thick, black leathery skin stretched across their bones, large, dragon-like heads and ears, with pure white pupil-less eyes and black wings much like a bat's sticking close to their sides. They were very sinister looking, and the sight of them made chills go down Harry's spine.

"What _are_ these things?" Harry wondered.

"What things?" Mia said.

"These horses—don't you see them?" Harry asked, pointing. Mia stared to where he was pointing and then turned back to him with furrowed eyebrows.

"There's nothing there, Harry," she said.

"Yes there is, they're right there, pulling the carriages."

"But Harry, there's nothing pulling them…"

"There you two are." Harry and Mia both turned around to see Ron and Hermione making their way towards them with Ginny, Neville, and Luna behind them.

"Malfoy was being horrible to a first year back there," Hermione huffed out in annoyance, her arms over her chest. I swear I'm going to report him. He's only had his badge for three minutes and he's already using it to cause trouble."

"He wouldn't be Malfoy if he wasn't," Mia sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll be surprised if I can get through the year without cursing him."

"You and me both," Ron said. "Let's get a carriage, it's freezing out here."

"It's not that bad, Ron," Mia said as she headed over towards the closest carriage, although Harry caught her glancing over at him in concern as she opened the door to one of them. _Great, the last thing I need is Mia thinking I'm crazy._

"Hey Ron, what do you reckon those things are?" Harry asked as the girls all gathered into the carriage.

"What things?"

" _Those things,"_ Harry said impatiently, pointing to the creature that was no less than three feet away from them. "The ones pulling the carriages."

Ron stared directly at the creature for a moment before turning back to Harry with a perplexed expression on his face.

"Er…what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?"

"You…you can't see them?" Harry said quietly.

"See what? You feeling all right, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry just stared at him blankly, his mind reeling. Here was this creature, standing out like a sore thumb in the dead of night, and yet he was the only one who could see them? How was that even possible? Was he losing his mind?

"Don't worry, you're not going mad," Luna said, gazing dreamily at him with her silver eyes as she stepped up to go into the carriage. "I can see them too."

"You can?" Harry said, a wave of relief going through him.

"I've been able to see them since my first day here, they've always pulled the carriages. You're just as sane as I am. Hmm, I'm pretty hungry. I hope there's pudding at the feast."

With that, Luna stepped inside the carriage and, after sharing a rather bewildered look with Ron, Harry climbed on inside, and then they were off towards the castle. As the carriage jolted along the bumpy road, Harry stared out of the window and a smile came upon his face as they rounded a corner and he was finally able to see the castle in the distance, with its many torrents and towers, with lights flickering in the windows. The tension that had been hanging over him since the end of last year seemed to melt away as he gazed at his school. It was very good to be back. After a little while they finally reached the front steps leading up into the entrance hall, and Harry couldn't get out of the carriage and away from the beasts pulling it fast enough. He moved along with everyone else as they went inside the gigantic oak doors and through the massive entrance hall. As he walked, Harry could hear all the whispers and hisses from his fellow students, and he grit his teeth, trying his best to look like their comments weren't getting to him. The second he and the others stepped inside the Great Hall, he relaxed a bit more at the sight of the thousands of floating candles along the four house tables, as well as the silvery form of all the ghosts as they drifted along, and the clear night sky draped across the ceiling. Luna left them to go join her housemates at the Ravenclaw table while Ginny went to go and sit with her own friends in fourth year. Harry took a seat in between Mia and Ron, the stares he was receiving not getting past him. He wasn't too concerned about this though, because he was currently scanning the teacher's table, where he saw many familiar faces except the one he was searching for.

"He's not there either," he whispered.

"Where could he be?" Hermione fretted. "You guys don't think he's hurt or anything do you?"

"No, he can't be," Ron muttered, craning his head to see if they had somehow missed him.

"Maybe…maybe he's not back yet," Harry said quietly to them, to make sure no one else could hear. "From the mission he's supposed to be doing for Dumbledore."

A silent feeling of reassurance went through them all as they digested this. Yes, that had to be it. Hagrid had to do something important for Dumbledore over the summer…he simply hasn't made it back yet. Harry was brought out of his thoughts by Hermione pointing out a new person sitting at the teacher's table. Following her gaze, Harry saw that she was right, although this person wasn't completely unfamiliar—in fact, it was the same witch who was at his hearing at the ministry! What was her name again? Umbridge?

"Nice cardigan," Ron snorted, noting the horrible, bright pink sweater she wore over her robes, with a matching Alice band atop her short, curly brown hair.

"Am I the only one who thinks her face resembles a toad?" Mia asked. "Although she looks familiar…"

"She was at the hearing," Harry said, taking in her squat form and beady eyes as she delicately took a sip out of her golden goblet. "She works for Fudge."

"Why on earth is she here, though?" Mia wondered.

"Dunno…"

At that moment their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the doors leading out into the entrance hall opening, and Harry turned around in his seat to see Professor McGonagall walking into the hall, leading a long line of terrified-looking first year students. All the chatter and laughter faded away as the elder witch took the students to the front of the teacher's table and lined them all up to face the rest of the school. All these students had pale faces, some of them were even trembling where they stood. He recalled how he had been just as scared when he had stood there four years ago, waiting for the unknown test that would determine which house he would go into. Although it wasn't as bad as he thought, since he had the support of Mia and Ron at the time. He remembered how Mia had squeezed his hand in reassurance, and he knew that no matter which house the Sorting Hat placed him in, she would always be in his corner. He watched as Professor McGonagall placed said hat upon a stool in front of the first years, patched and frayed beyond repair, and the entire hall waited with baited breath. Then, the rip at the brim of the hat opened like a mouth, and it began to sing.

 _In times of old when I was new, and Hogwarts barely started_

 _The founders of our noble school thought never to be parted_

 _United by a common goal, they had the selfsame yearning_

 _To make the world's best magic school, and pass along their learning_

" _Together we shall build and teach!" the four good friends decided_

 _And never did they dream that they might someday be divided_

 _For were there such friends anywhere as Slytherin and Gryffindor?_

 _Unless it was the second pair of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?_

 _So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail?_

 _Why, I was there, and so can tell the whole sad, sorry tale_

 _Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."_

 _Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."_

 _Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those with brave deeds to their name."_

 _Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, and treat them just the same."_

 _These differences caused little strife when first they came to light_

 _For each of the four founders had a house in which they might_

 _Take only those they wanted, so for instance, Slytherin_

 _Took only pure-blood wizards of great cunning, just like him_

 _And only those of sharpest mind were taught by Ravenclaw_

 _While the bravest and the boldest went to daring Gryffindor_

 _Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest, and taught them all she knew_

 _Thus the houses and their founders retained friendships, firm and true_

 _So Hogwarts worked in harmony for several happy years_

 _But then discord crept among us, feeding on our faults and fears_

 _The houses that, like pillars four, had once held up our school_

 _Now turned upon each other and divided, sought to rule_

 _For a while it seemed the school must meet an early end_

 _What with dueling and with fighting, and the clash of friend on friend_

 _And at last there came a morning, when old Slytherin departed,_

 _And though the fighting then died out, he left us quite downhearted_

 _And never since the founders four were whittled down to three_

 _Have the houses been united as they once were meant to be_

 _And now the Sorting Hat is here, and you all know the score:_

 _I sort you into houses because that is what I'm for_

 _But this year I'll go further, listen closely to my song_

 _Though condemned I am to split you, still I worry that it's wrong_

 _Though I must fulfill my duty and must quarter every year_

 _Still, I wonder whether sorting may not bring the end I fear_

 _Oh, know the perils, read the signs, the warning history shows_

 _For our Hogwarts is in danger, from external, deadly foes_

 _And we must unite inside her, or we'll crumble from within_

 _I have told you, I have warned you…let the sorting now begin_

As the hat finished its song, it became still and motionless once again. Everyone in the Great Hall clapped their hands in applause, but for the first time ever, it was punctured by hushed whispers. Harry didn't need to listen in to figure out what they were all talking about.

"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" Ron said with raised eyebrows.

"It sure has," Mia whispered, staring at the hat with a worried and anxious look on her face. "It's been a very long time since the hat gave a warning in its song."

"It's done this before?" Harry asked, looking at her.

"Yes, but it's been decades," Mia muttered. "The last time was around the dark wizard Grindlewald's attacks in Europe, I think. The hat feels honor-bound to deliver advice and a warning if it feels the school may be in danger. I can honestly count on my hand how many times this has happened, so this song should not be taken lightly."

"How do you know this?" Harry said.

"I—"

"—read it in a book," Ron finished, rolling his eyes. "Who would have known?"

"Excuse me, Harry," Mia said, narrowing her eyes as she reached around him to give Ron a good smack on the head just as Professor McGonagall silenced the hall with one of her scorching looks. Once the hall was silent again, she took out a long roll of parchment and began calling out the names of the first years, beginning with "Abercrombie, Euan," The hat only took a moment to decide with Euan, placing him in Gryffindor, and Harry clapped along with everyone else as Euan made his way over towards their table, his face bright red. The young boy took a seat not far away from where Harry and his friends were sitting, and he smiled as Mia made the effort to reach across the table and offer her hand, giving the boy a kind and welcoming smile. Still beat red in the face, Euan took her hand and mumbled something to her, offering a ghost of a smile in return. That's just like Mia, she was always warm and friendly towards all the first years who were sorted into their house each year, making them feel at ease, especially the Muggle-borns. Just like it was for him, Mia and Hermione, they were entering an entirely new world, one that was supposedly make-believe, and Harry knew from experience that even though having good friends helped, the transition wasn't always easy. He was sure there were many things in the wizarding world he still didn't know.

Professor McGonagall continued on calling out the names of the first years, the line growing thinner and thinner, and Harry could hear Ron groaning quietly next to him while rubbing his stomach. At long last, "Zeller, Rose" was sorted into Ravenclaw, and McGonagall took the stool away. Then, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet, and the hall became silent once again as the headmaster subconsciously sent out waves of reassurance and relief, making Harry feel the most at ease for the first time that night. He welcomed them gladly with a beaming smile on his face, as if nothing could make him happier than seeing them all there. Professor Dumbledore promised the usual speech, but first, it was time to tuck in. Everyone heartily agreed as the four house tables were suddenly filled with all kinds of steaming, delicious food. Harry and Ron immediately grabbed whatever was closest to them, and he could practically feel the girls rolling their eyes at them.

"I wonder how this school year is going to go," Harry heard Mia say to Hermione. "With O.W.L's coming up, I'm worried it's going to be brutal."

"Not nearly as brutal as when we'll have to take our N.E.W.T classes," Hermione responded. "This year will most likely come easy compared to that."

"I'm just excited for Ancient Runes this year," Mia said, enthusiasm shining in her voice. "Professor Babbling mentioned that we would be taking a look at the runes of the African wizarding culture way before be fourteenth century, as well as the early texts of wizard shamans and medicine men."

"Mia, Hermione, it's the first night back!" Ron said as he shoveled food into his mouth. "Can't you wait to talk about classes when we're actually there?"

"You're just sour because you still have to deal with Divination this year." Hermione said.

"Urgh, thanks for the reminder," Ron muffled through his chicken.

"Nonetheless, this year we need to crack down on our studies hard," Mia pointed out as she buttered herself a piece of bread. "That means more time in the library, and less goofing around."

"Great, just look at what you've done Hermione," Ron accused. "You're turning Mia into you!"

"And what's wrong with that? At least Mia cares about her work, and Harry too."

"That doesn't count, Mia usually forces him to do work!"

"I do not!"

"Sometimes you do…"

"Whose side are you on, Harry?!"

"On mine, obviously."

"Watch it, Weasley."

"All right, enough you three," Hermione said sternly, fixing them all with a glare.

"Sorry Mione," Mia said, although she stuck her tongue out at Ron when the bushy-haired witch turned her head, making it difficult for Harry to swallow his own food. The rest of dinner went about in the same fashion, with everyone talking, laughing and catching up with one another, all the mixed voices echoing off of the walls. At one point Hermione had leaned over to Mia and whispered something to her. Whatever she said, it made Mia's face burn bright red and she shoved Hermione's shoulder a little as she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing," Hermione replied with a smile.

"Mione's gone completely bonkers, that's what," Mia said, piercing her best girl friend with a glare. "Harry, could you please pass the carrots?"

By the time dessert was finished, everyone had eaten their full and waited with bulging stomachs and tired eyes as Dumbledore once again stood to his feet.

"Now that we have all had our fill, I'd like to make a few announcements before I send you all off to bed," he started. "First years should note that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students—and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."

Harry, Mia, Ron, and Hermione all exchanged smirks at this.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me for what he says is the four-hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which are posted on the now extensive list fastened to his office door. We have also had two changes in staff this year as well. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking over Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"I don't like her," Mia stated instantly, frowning deeply as there were some scattered, polite applause at this information.

"You don't even know her," Ron said in surprise.

"I know enough," Mia countered. "Anyway, if she's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, then it's more than likely I will end up hating her, considering we've only had one in the past four years that hasn't tried to hurt or kill one of us."

"Point taken," Ron muttered thoughtfully as Professor Dumbledore continued.

"Furthermore, tryout for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the—"

Dumbledore stopped speaking at that moment and everyone was wondering why. But then, Harry noticed that Dumbledore was now looking at Professor Umbridge, who had risen from her seat with her hands folded neatly in front of her, smiling ever so sweetly. She let out a soft, yet clear, _"Hem, hem,"_ and Harry quickly understood what was going on. His eyes widened a bit and he was sure just about everyone was surprised and clueless to say the least. No new teacher had ever before interrupted Dumbledore, and right now Professor Umbridge looked as if she was going to make a speech of her own.

"Thank you so very much, Headmaster," she simpered in an overly sweet, honey-filled tone. "For those kind words of welcome. Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces smiling back at me! I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all. And I'm sure we'll be very good friends.

The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded…"

As Professor Umbridge continued on with her speech, Harry found that his attention span was slipping with each second that passed, and he wasn't the only one—students all across the hall were whispering to one another, some with frowns, others with smirks, and there were those who were simply pretending to be paying attention, no doubt hoping that it would be over soon. During all of this, Harry glanced over to see that both Mia and Hermione were actually listening to Umbridge's words, and they were both wearing grimacing looks of concern.

"…into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

With her speech coming to an end at long last, Professor Umbridge sat back down in her seat, and Dumbledore clapped, although he was really the only one. The other teaches at the table simply brought their hands together once or twice, while few other students clapped with apprehension and uncertainty. The headmaster thanked her for the speech and then went on to finish the announcements and notices.

"Very illuminating, I'd say," Hermione muttered.

"Don't tell me you actually enjoyed that?" said Ron.

"She said illuminating Ron, not enjoyable," Mia said, never taking her frowning face off of Profesor Umbridge. "Not enjoyable in the least."

"What exactly was she saying?" Harry asked. "I couldn't make out half of it."

"She's coating her words, and hiding their double-meaning," Mia replied. "I have a feeling she's going to be doing a lot more than teaching this year."

"What does that mean?" Ron said.

"It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

MPOV

After dinner, Mia and Harry made their way out of the Great Hall while Ron and Hermione went to lead the first years up to the common rooms. Mia's mind was still reeling with Umbridge's words, a feeling of distaste rising inside of her. The things she said may have seemed innocent to the oblivious eye, but there was something… _darker_ to them then she would have liked. It made Mia feel as if she needed to be very weary of her, and she didn't like it one bit. Whatever plan this woman has for her classes, Mia really hoped they would be able to get through it. As they walked, Mia was brought out of her troubling thoughts by the sight of Harry's face. His jaw was set and he was keeping his eyes straight forward, and it wasn't hard to see why—all around them, people were staring, whispering, and giving him looks of horror, as if they thought he would go crazy and attack them. She could tell Harry was trying his best to ignore them all, but it was much easier said than done. While they were walking up the marble staircase, a sudden idea came to Mia's mind and when they reached the top, instead of making a left like most of the others, she took his hand and started dragging him off in the other direction, down a less crowded corridor.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Let's try a not-so-familiar path," Mia replied, giving him a smile. "Something tells me you're not in the mood for crowds today."

"Am I that obvious?" Harry said as they approached a short cut that would lead them to the upper floors much quicker.

"Not really…I can just tell when something's really bothering you," Mia answered gently, leading him up the staircase that was hidden behind a gigantic tapestry. "You've been through a lot lately Harry. I don't like it when people make it harder for you."

There was a brief moment of silence as the walking up the staircase, and then Mia heard Harry speak so quietly behind her, she was surprised she heard it at all.

"Why are you so good to me?"

"What?" she said, turning her head around to face him.

"Nothing," Harry said quickly, avoiding her eyes. "Let's just get to the common room, it's getting late."

Mia stared at him curiously for a minute, but she didn't argue as they walked through a door and easily found themselves on the third floor. Was she hearing things? She shook her head a little as they moved, making sure to stay away from the major crowds of students making their way through the castle, and they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady in record time. Providing her with the password, the two of them walked inside the opening behind her and into the lovely Gryffindor common room, where there were a few people scattered about, sitting by the fire or at the tables.

"Hey guys," Neville greeted as he got up from his spot in one of the armchairs, holding one of his plants in his hands. "You heading up, Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry replied before looking over at Mia. "See you in the morning?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Mia said with a smile. "Goodnight Harry, night Neville."

"Goodnight Mia," Neville said as he waved, turning around to walk away. Mia gave Harry's hand a tight squeeze before he left to follow his roommate, and he managed to give her a smile in return. When he and Neville were gone, Mia sighed before she headed through the door that would take her up to the girl's dormitories and went up to the room that was labeled _Fifth Years._ As she entered, she saw that Lavender and Parvati were already there, talking quietly to one another on Parvati's bed. They ceased their discussion, however, when Mia entered.

"Hi Parvati," Mia greeted as she crossed the room and went over to her bed, where Sapphire was waiting to be let out of her carrier. "Hi Lavender."

"Hi Mia," Parvati answered. Mia sat down on her bed and unlocked the cage door to the carrier, smiling as her beautiful cat instantly leaped out and stretched her limps, as if she had been locked up for years instead of a couple hours.

"Are you happy now, your majesty?" Mia giggled, stroking Sapphire's back as the feline purred in satisfaction.

"How was your summer?" Mia asked her roommates as she got up from her bed and started to unpack.

"It was all right," Parvati replied with a shrug. "Padma and I went to go visit our grandparents, but other than that, not too much happened."

Mia nodded at this and looked over to Lavender. She was surprised to see that the young girl was staring at Mia with a bit of a grimace, her eyebrows pulled together.

"What's wrong, Lavender?" Mia said.

"Do you believe him?" Lavender said, softly yet bluntly.

"What?"

 _"Do you believe him?"_ Lavender repeated.

"Lav…" Parvati mumbled. All at once, Mia knew what she was talking about, and she was calm and collected in her answer.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"It just seems strange though, doesn't it?" Lavender inquired with a slight frown. "you have to admit it, Mia. Harry comes out of the tournament with—with Cedric in his arms, and he's shouting that You-Know-Who has returned? That he killed Cedric?"

"I'm honestly not sure what's strange about that," Mia said, turning towards her trunk and opening it, laying out her clothes. "Voldemort—come on guys, it's only a name—is known for murdering people in cold blood. Why should this instance be any different?"

"You-Know-Who has been gone for the past thirteen years," Lavender said.

"Yes, and now he's back," Mia stated, keeping her voice even as she put her things away. "Harry had to face him, and watched as he killed someone he thought of as a friend. If Harry says that's what happened than I believe him."

"Honestly Mia, how could you be so thick?" Lavender burst out in an exasperated way.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mia asked, a dangerous tone hidden in her voice.

"You always blindly follow him, will believe anything he says like a stray puppy! This whole thing is completely Ludacris! If You-Know-Who was really back than I'd like to think we'd know. This is nothing but Harry wanting more attention."

"You take that back!" Mia snapped, whirling around to face Lavender with burning blue eyes. "Harry is not a liar! You really think he would make something like this up just for attention?! I don't know how you can keep head on your shoulders since it's filled with hot air! You're absolutely _daft!_ "

"You're insane for believing anything he says!" Lavender yelled, standing to her feet. "No one knows what really happened that night! All this rubbish about You-Know-Who, and having Dumbledore back up this crazy story! For all we know Harry could have been the one—"

Lavender was cut off from her sentence as Mia whipped out her wand and pointed it straight in her face, her expression livid.

"If you even dare to finish that sentence I swear you will regret it," she hissed venomously.

"Mia, what are you doing?!" Parvati exclaimed. "Put your wand down!"

"What's going on in here?"

Mia looked over to see Hermione standing in the doorway to the room, aghast at what was occurring before her, her eyes as wide as saucers as she stared from Lavender's red face to Mia's wand.

"She's completely mad, that's what's going on!" Lavender said, pointing.

"She won't keep her fat mouth shut about Harry!" Mia countered angrily. "If you think that everything is fine and we're all safe, you're in for a rude awakening, Brown!"

With that being said, Mia lowered her wand, stomped over to her bed and drew the curtains around it, following up with a silencing charm so she could fume in solitude and her yells of frustration couldn't be heard.

 **Read and review please.**


	8. Scarlet Letters

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Eight: Scarlett Letters

MPOV

Needless to say, things didn't get much better the following day. When Mia awoke, she debated on just staying in bed so as to avoid all the other ignorant prats like Lavender, but she instantly felt ashamed. Here she was thinking about hiding away when it was Harry who would receive the brunt of every negative attitude from the people he passed. Sighing to herself, Mia managed to drag herself out of bed and get ready, shooting a scathing, heated look at the overbearing girl as she passed. Once she, Hermione, Ron and Harry went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, they received their new schedules from Professor McGonagall as she passed them out, and the loud protesting groan from the boys were enough to make Mia's face crinkle in a smile. Along with History of Magic, they all had double Potions, then Harry and Ron had to go to Divination, and then they all had double Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron stated that it was the worst Monday he had ever seen, having to deal with Snape, Binns, Trelawny, and Umbridge all rolled up into one day, and Mia couldn't help but agree with him. Despite the fact that she had the relief of Ancient Runes after Potions, she had to admit that they most certainly have had better Mondays. Also, to their dismay Hagrid was still nowhere to be seen, and no matter what reassurances they gave each other, Mia was worried for their giant friend, hoping that wherever he was, he was okay and unharmed.

Therefore, after eating a rather delicious breakfast cooked up by the house elves, they all started making their way towards their History of Magic Lesson. Mia herself never really loved this class, and she found it hard to pay full attention sometimes, but she forced herself to nonetheless, knowing that if not she would not be able to take any decent notes for their exams, and since this was their O.W.L year, she intended to keep true to her promise to work extra hard. Throughout the lesson, Mia and Hermione were really the only ones making an attempt and writing down notes as Professor Binns' dull voice floated over their heads, reading from a book while everyone else was dozing off or, in Ron and Harry's case, playing hangman on the corner of their textbooks.

"How would it be if Mia and I refused to lend you our notes this year?" Hermione asked coldly as they were leaving at the end of the lesson.

"Harry and I would fail our O. ," Ron replied. "If you want that on your conscious, Hermione…"

"Well, you'd deserve it," Hermione snapped at them impatiently. "You don't even try to listen to him, do you?"

"We do try," Ron countered. "We just don't have your brains, or your memory, or your concentration."

"That's a good way to sucker up, Ron," Mia stated with a smile. "Keep on going."

"You'd still lend us your notes, wouldn't you?" Harry asked, purposely making his eyes nice and big for the full effect.

"Oh no—Mione, he's doing it again," Mia groaned.

"That's not fair Harry!" Hermione said.

"He never plays fair," Mia grumbled.

"Well just think about it," Harry said. "If Ron and I fail, that means we might have to discontinue our schooling, or at the very least be held back—"

"Okay, you two can have all the notes you want!" Mia hurriedly said, reaching out and fisting her hands in the hoods of their school robes and yanking them to her sides. "No one is taking you two away from me!"

"Thanks Mia," Harry said, grinning while Ron struggled to keep walking while being bent on a low angle to reach Mia's height. Hermione rolled her eyes at them, but Mia could see the smile that was threatening to cross over her face as they walked down a flight of stairs and went out to walk across the courtyard. At this point they all drew their robes tighter to themselves to keep out the chilly September air and Mia hitched her messenger bag higher up on her shoulder. As they were crossing the yard, they suddenly heard a voice call out to them that made them stop.

"Hello, Harry!"

Mia turned around to see that Cho Chang was making her way towards them with a friendly smile on her face, and her eyes surprisingly set on Harry. Harry himself instantly started going a bit red in the face, something that made Mia frown a little bit. When Cho finally reached them, she smiled kindly at them all in acknowledgement before speaking to Harry.

"You got that stuff off, then?" she asked, referring to the tiny incident on the train, where Neville accidently got them all covered in Stinksap from his plant seconds before she had walked in to say hello.

 _Why is she so interested in talking to Harry now?_ Mia couldn't help but wonder to herself. _She hardly even noticed him last year._

"Yeah," Harry said, in a voice that seemed a bit irritating to Mia's liking. "So did you…er…have a good summer?"

Mia had the urge to kick him in the shin for that comment. No matter how silly he was acting, he shouldn't have asked her that without thinking, seeing as her boyfriend had died only two months ago. She could see the shift in Cho's eyes as she tried to smile, but it didn't quite have the full effect, although she did keep her tone upbeat as she answered.

"Oh, it was all right, you know…"

"Is that a Tornados badge?" Ron quickly and suddenly demanded, pointing to the front of Cho's robes were a shining sky-blue badge was pinned, emblazed with a double T. "You don't support them, do you?"

"Yeah, I do," Cho replied in confusion.

"Have you always supported them, or just since they started winning the league?" Ron said, a hint of an accusatory tone in his voice.

"I've supported them since I was six," Cho replied coolly. "Anyway…see you, Harry."

With that, Cho turned around and walked away, and Mia felt an odd tension relief when she left, although it didn't last long as Hermione soon rounded on Ron.

"You are so tactless!" she shrieked.

"What? I only asked her if—"

"Couldn't you tell she wanted to talk to Harry on her own?"

"So? She could've done, I wasn't stopping—"

"What on earth were you attacking her about her Quidditch team for?"

"I wasn't attacking her—"

"Who _cares_ if she likes the Tornados? What does it _matter?_ "

"Oh boy," Mia said, taking Harry's arm. "We better get out of the line of fire."

Harry nodded, although he was still staring in the direction of where Cho had walked away, causing Mia to huff quietly to herself. Soon enough all four of them were walking down to the dungeons, with Ron and Hermione bickering the whole way down. Mia couldn't help but shake her head, remembering the bet she and Harry had made so long ago. Mia knew without a doubt that Ron and Hermione were meant to be, no matter how much they tried to fight it or how much they didn't realize it. She had said that they would kiss and get together by the end of their seventh school year while Harry argued that there was no way it would ever happen. While Mia had certain demands if she won, Harry had yet to tell her what he wanted if he were to win. She pondered over what he might possibly want as they walked through the dungeons, making their way to Snape's classroom. Something from Quality Quidditch Supplies? Game tickets? Never-ending sweets from Honeydukes? The ideas kept popping into her head even as they finally reached the classroom and entered, taking seats together at their table and setting their things down. Not too long later, Snape entered the room as well and everyone fell silent as the Dungeon Bat made his presence. As dark and brooding as he ever was, Severus Snape had a demeanor about him that silently acquired fear and, for some, respect. His hair was black and greasy, with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and soulless eyes that pierced right through you, leaving no room for sympathy.

Snape made the usual welcoming speech by reminding them that this year they would be taking their O.W.L exams, and that this was the year they will have to put all their knowledge to the test. Despite his obvious hit at those he deemed less than competent of ever passing the exam, Mia felt a rush of determination. No matter what she said about it, Mia was indeed one of the best in Potions, and she met Snape's glare with a motivated fury in her gaze, intending on showing him that she could take anything he threw her way. Their dislike of each other was not nearly as strong as the one between him and Harry, but Mia felt no fear. _Bring it on, Bat._ Once Snape was done with the inspiring words of how some of them will most undoubtedly fail and cease to study Potions with him, he set them to work with their assignment for the day, which was to make the Draught of Peace, a potion that was created to calm anxiety and agitation. He listed the instruction on the board before setting them to work, giving them an hour and a half to get it done. Eager to start her work, Mia scanned the list of ingredients and joined everyone else as they gathered around the cupboards to receive them. When she got back to their table, she set her ingredients down neatly next to her cauldron, lighted the fire underneath with her wand, and immediately set to work.

It was mostly quiet in the class as everyone was focused on making their potion, which was not as easy as it sounded. They had to have the cauldron at the right temperature, stir in the ingredients in order and follow the instructions correctly in order to make the perfect potion. Mia worked on her potion in a daze, her mind completely focused on her work and tuning out almost everything around her. Even if Snape was a prat, this was something Mia absolutely loved to do, and it was something in the wizarding world that she felt most connected to. Creating such power from sometimes simple things could make such a difference, and it intrigued her to no end. It was the same as when she was working on one of her paintings—being so lost in her own world where nothing else mattered, so calm and soothing. She followed the directions perfectly, adding her powdered moonstone to her cauldron and stirring it three times counterclockwise before allowing it to simmer for seven minutes. While she was waiting, she looked over to see that Harry was just adding the moonstone to his cauldron, looking focused as well. Mia smiled at this. When they were young, Harry had never been expected to be good at much, and certainly didn't want to be seen as smarter than Dudley, but since coming to Hogwarts, she had definitely seen a change in his studies. Although he and Ron love to joke around and be laid back, she knew with a little push, Harry could accomplish a lot. Harry wiped his brow as he let his potion simmer, and Mia opened her mouth to remind him about the syrup of hellebore, which was the next step in the instructions.

"No talking, Miss Thatcher,"

Mia turned her head to see Snape standing close by to her, giving her his usual sneer of disapproval.

"Focus on your own cauldron and allow your fellow students to work it out themselves," he said. "If I hear so much as a whisper that'll be ten points from Gryffindor."

Mia glared at him with as much hatred as she could, feeling her nerves spark. That arrogant, greasy slimeball! How could he expect someone to just sit still while there were others who were struggling and needed assistance? The idea of knocking him out once again with the disarming spell was quite tempting, but she bit her lip and said nothing, going back to her own potion. As Snape was walking away, she kept her eyes fixed on her cauldron, but she placed her hand on the vial that held the hellebore and tapped the glass with her nail a few times, hoping that it would catch Harry's attention and he would understand what she was trying to tell him. The rest of the class period passed faster than she would like to admit, and soon enough there was only ten minutes left, in which Snape said that a light silver vapor should be rising from their potions at this point. Mia looked down into her own potion and was delighted to see the thin swirl of silver mist rising into the air from her Draught of Peace and she moved her sweaty hair out of her face, beaming. However, when she turned to Harry her smile faded as she saw that there was a cloud of gray smoke coming out of his cauldron. _Oh no._

"Harry, she whispered urgently. "You forgot the hellebore."

"Huh?"

"The syrup of hellebore, after the moonstone," she explained. "You didn't—"

"I believe I said no talking, Miss Thatcher," Snape drawled as he swept over to their table to observe their cauldrons. Mia fell silent as he stared from Ron's cauldron, which was emitting green sparks, to hers and Hermione's, both of which were silver, to Harry's dark gray potion.

"Potter, what is this supposed to be?" he said.

"The Draught of Peace," he replied in a tense voice.

"Tell me, Potter, can you read?"

Mia's glare intensified as she heard Malfoy laugh with his friends up front.

"Yes, I can," Harry said, and Mia could hear how hard he was struggling to keep his voice under control. She instantly started to worry—if there was one thing that Snape was good at, it was pressing Harry's buttons. Snape had Harry read the third line of the instructions from the board, and it was only then that Harry realized what Mia was trying to tell him. Snape openly expressed Harry's idiocy before waving his wand and making the contents of Harry's cauldron vanish, leaving it completely empty and Mia felt her anger flare. He was seriously giving Harry a zero for this assignment?! He had come closer to getting it right than half the people in class!

"But sir!" she said. "The syrup was the only thing he missed—"

"You have already lost ten points for your house, Thatcher, and if you continued to speak out of term you will lose even more," Snape threatened. "Now, all of those who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon of your potion, label it with your name and bring it to my desk for testing."

 _Oh, I cannot stand him!_ Mia raged silently in her head as she glared at the bat's retreating back along with Harry, who was stuffing his things in his bag furiously. She filled a flagon with her potion and then, after filling up a small vial for herself to keep in her bag, she went up to Snape's desk along with everyone else to hand it in. She could still hear Malfoy and his friends sniggering behind her, making her clench her jaw tight, breathing through her nose. As soon as the bell rang, she saw Harry stand to his feet and quickly make his way out of the room, leaving a cloud of steam in his wake.

"Your boyfriend's not too happy, is he Thatcher?" Malfoy jeered from directly behind her. Mia's eyes narrowed, although she said nothing. Instead, she kept her gaze straight forward and smoothly reeled her left foot back and kicked Malfoy right in the shin, causing him to grunt in pain. Mia allowed herself a small smirk as she moved forward to hand in her own potion. By the time she, Ron and Hermione made it up to the Great Hall, Harry was already there eating his lunch. Or really, just stabbing it fiercely with his fork and stuffing it into his mouth aggressively.

"That was really unfair," Hermione huffed as she took a seat and started placing some food on her plate. "Your potion was almost perfect Harry, you only forgot one thing."

"Yeah well, when has Snape ever been fair to me?" Harry muttered angrily.

"He needs to get over himself," Mia said as she plucked a peach from the serving dish in front of them and took a bite out of it. "He's so cold and bitter, it's no wonder why no one wants to be bothered with him. He always has it out for anyone who's not in his house, or kissing his arse, especially us."

"I always get the brunt of it though," Harry said.

"Maybe, but we did knock him out in third year," Mia reminded with a twisted smile. "Not that I'm really regretting that much."

"You'd think he would act a bit differently though," Hermione said quietly. "What with him being in the Order and everything."

"Just because he's in the Order, it doesn't mean he won't stop being a git," Ron stated sagely. "No matter what he may do to help the Order, we still have to put up with him here all year long. I've always wondered why Dumbledore could ever trust him. I mean, is there really any proof that he's stopped working for You-Know-Who? That greasy slime could be working as a spy."

"I'm positive that Dumbledore has his reasons, even if he doesn't want to share them with you," Hermione snapped.

"You always think the teachers could do no wrong," Ron countered heatedly. "What makes you so sure that Dumbledore can't be wrong for once?"

"Oh shut up, the pair of you!" Harry said, turning around to glare at Ron and Hermione, both of whom had frozen at his outburst. "Can't you just give it a rest? You can't go five seconds without fighting, can you?"

"Harry!" Mia said, shocked at his sudden behavior. "That was rude of you to say."

"Well you'd be a bit rude too if you're tired of the endless nagging," Harry said in a clipped tone as he stood to his feet. "They're always having a go at each other, it's driving me mad."

"Where are you going?" Mia called after him, but he didn't answer as he walked away, leaving the Great Hall.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with him?" Ron said.

"I really wish he wouldn't snap at us," Hermione said, irritated. "It would be nice if he would stop taking out his anger on us."

"This isn't like him," Mia muttered with a frown, not happy at all with Harry's attitude. "But I see your point. He needs to stop lashing out, it's only going to make things worse for him. I just wish there was something we could do so all of this would stop getting to him."

"This is going to happen whether we want it to or not," Hermione stated reasonably. "Harry's going to have to figure out how to handle it."

The rest of the lunch period was mostly quiet between the three of them, and Mia was thinking as she ate her peach. She was more than a little surprised at Harry's outburst and almost bitter attitude towards them. Even if Ron and Hermione's banter could get annoying sometimes, he had never snapped at them like that before. Even during the summer at Grimmauld Place, his moodiness seemed more profound, and it made Mia a little worried about it. She shook her head as she sighed—Harry knew they were here for him, but she knew there were some things he needed to work out himself. She remembered that Ron had told her of the fight between Harry and Seamus last night about what had happened last year…if things kept going the way they were, she knew that they were in for an extremely long and tough year. When it was time to head off to class, they walked into the entrance hall and up the staircase together before parting ways on the second floor. Before Ron could leave, Mia gave him the tiny vial of the Draught of Peace she had sneaked out of Potions and asked him to give it to Harry, figuring he would need it more than she did.

The next hour went by surprisingly fast in Ancient Runes, as Professor Babbling greeted them all warmly and set an easy first lesson, asking them to read the first chapter of their new textbook and to practice the decoding exercises at the end of it in groups of three. She had also hinted that they would be starting a new project this year, and that she will give them the instructions in a couple weeks' time. Both Mia and Hermione read through the chapter silently and once they were done they paired up with Lucy, a fifth year Ravenclaw, to do the exercises. All too soon, the bell signaling the end of class went off, and Professor Babbling instructed them to choose a theory in chapter one and write a twelve inch essay on its relevance in decoding runes in different cultures before sending them off. As they walked towards their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Mia and Hermione chatted adamantly about their days work, both of them curious to see what sort of project Professor Babbling had in store for them this year. When they reached the classroom, they entered to see that Professor Umbridge was already seated at the teacher's desk, wearing her bright pink cardigan and greeting them all with a sweet smile. Mia looked around to see that Harry and Ron were already there at their seats. She and Hermione made their way over to them and took the set of desks next to them, with Mia sitting right across from Harry.

"Are you okay now, Grumpy?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow. Harry didn't laugh, but he actually managed an appreciative smile.

"A bit, yeah," he said, looking to both her and Hermione. "Sorry."

"Good job giving him that draught, Mia," Ron said. "He only took one sip and he actually _smiled_ during Divination. I thought you might have poisoned him at first."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said.

"I'm here for you mate," the redhead replied.

"Well, good afternoon!" Professor Umbridge said when the whole class finally entered and sat down. A few people mumbled their greetings in reply, but Umbridge wasn't having any of that.

"Goodness me, that certainly won't do," she said. "I would like you to reply with, 'Good afternoon Professor Umbridge.' One more time please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," everyone chanted together.

"There now," Professor Umbridge said sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

While everyone put their wands away and took out their quills and parchment, Professor took her wand and tapped the board with it. In the next moment words began writing themselves out, reading _Defense against the Dark Arts: A Return to Basic Principles._

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" she asked them all. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

 _Yup, definitely don't like her._ Mia grumbled to herself as Professor Umbridge gave them a few things to write from the blackboard. Theory-centered? Ministry-approved? What exactly was this woman planning on teaching them this year? These questions kept bothering Mia as they wrote down everything from the board and continued to follow Professor Umbridge's instructions, which were to read the first chapter of their new textbook quietly to themselves. Mia opened her copy of the book and started to read it. However soon she could feel her lips being pulled into a frown and her eyebrows furrowing as she read the guidelines to the context, _Basics for Beginners._ As dull as it was, there was nothing that she could see so far that involved them using any defensive spells, or enchantments. Why is that? Mia lifted her head up from the book, just about to raise her hand and ask, but she looked over to see that Hermione had already beaten her to it, staring intently at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air. Professor Umbridge was staring in another direction, seemingly not noticing Hermione's raised hand, but eventually she could not ignore it any longer when more than half the class was now staring at Hermione. Professor Umbridge inquired whether Hermione had any questions about the chapter they were supposed to be reading. When Hermione said that she didn't, she tried to ride it off, saying that any other questions would be dealt with at the end of class.

"I've got a query about your course aims," Hermione said, to which Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.

"And your name is—?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Well Miss Granger, I think the course aims are particularly clear if you read them through carefully," Professor Umbridge said with a smile that made Mia grind her teeth.

"Well, I don't," Hermione stated. "There's nothing there about _using_ defensive spells."

" _Using_ defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge giggled. "I can't see why you would ever need to think you'd need to use defensive spells in a safe setting such as a classroom."

Mia's mouth dropped open slightly as Ron expressed his disbelief that they weren't going to be using magic. Was this woman serious? How could they take a Defense class without practicing magic? What was the point? If any class required the use of magic it was surely this one! Professor simply smiled at Ron, telling him that students in her class were to raise their hand before speaking or asking questions. The tiny toad-like witch went on to explain that as they were not Ministry-trained educational experts, they didn't have a say in what was appropriate for class and what was not, which immediately led to several objections. Dean went on to say that they needed to practice, so if they were ever attacked they would be prepared. Professor Umbridge's reply was that there was no reason for them to be attacked in class, therefore using spells was pointless. Parvati then stated that they needed to practice in order for them to pass their exams, but Professor Umbridge rode it off, saying that as long as they studied and worked hard from their textbooks, they should be able to do perfectly fine. With every word that came out her mouth, Mia kept finding herself believing that this woman was completely barmy. How could she expect them to just sit back and not learn anything?! Their sickly sweet professor went on to explain that the curriculum approved by the Ministry would be enough to get them through their schooling, to which Harry threw his fist into the air, demanding to know how they were supposed to be prepared for what's out there in the real world.

"This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world," Professor Umbridge stated. "Besides, who could you image would want to hurt innocent children such as yourselves?"

"Hmm, I don't know—maybe Lord Voldemort?" Harry cut in sharply, his irritation and anger bubbling in his voice. There were a few gasps from around the room, and every stumped, pale face was looking between Harry and Professor Umbridge, who was still sitting at her desk, her smile still plastered on her face, and her voice horribly soft as she spoke.

"Now, I'm going to make this all quite clear," she said slowly. "You all have been told that a certain dark wizard is alive and at large once again. This is nothing but a _lie._ "

"It's _not_ a lie!" Harry said furiously as he jumped to his feet. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Professor Umbridge said curtly. "Tomorrow evening five o'clock in my office."

"Professor, that's not fair!" Mia spoke up, her silent anger finally surfacing. "He's only speaking the truth."

"I repeat, this is a lie," Professor Umbridge said, turning her eyes to Mia. "And a young girl such as yourself should be ashamed at encouraging such behavior. Frightening others when there is nothing to be frightened of."

"So according to you, Cedric Diggory just dropped dead of his own accord?" Harry seethed, his emerald eyes flaring as his rage continued to rise. Mia whipped her head around to look at him, her own eyes going wide as she took in the expression on his face. She has never, ever seen Harry quite this furious before…it rivaled the time when he had assumed that Sirius had been the one to betray his parents to Voldemort, causing their deaths. As angry as she knew they were, she knew she had to reel them in.

"Harry," she tried to say, reaching out to take his arm, but he shoved it out of her grasp.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," Professor Umbridge said coldly with no trace of a smile on her face, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"It was murder," Harry snarled. "Voldemort killed him."

"How could you?" Mia said, more quiet and calm than before although her voice was shaky as she glared at Professor Umbridge. "It's one thing to call Harry a liar about Voldemort being back, yet I can't believe you could sit there and claim that Cedric's death was accidental. If anyone should be ashamed here, Professor, it's you, for insulting his memory."

Professor Umbridge's face had gone a little paler and she looked back and forth from between Harry and Mia. It was silent for a moment before she took a deep breath through her nose with her eyes closed, and when she opened them again, Mia could have sworn she saw an almost malicious shine in them, and her honey-filled smile was back on her face.

"Well, Mr. Potter, since you do not feel the need to be respectful and honest in my classroom, I will have to teach you a lesson in another way," she said gently, with a determined kindness. "You, Miss…"

"Thatcher," Mia said.

"Miss Thatcher, you will be taking Mr. Potter's intended detention," Professor Umbridge declared. "Every night this week."

"What?!" Harry said.

"She didn't do anything!" Dean objected in her defense.

"Enough!" Professor Umbridge said loudly. "Miss Thatcher, you attributing to these lies and inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in this classroom, and if Mr. Potter wishes to have his friends follow in his atrocious ways, than you all will be punished accordingly. Mr. Potter, you yourself have now cost Gryffindor fifteen points from Gryffindor and you alone will be receiving an essay that is to be turned into me by next class. Now Mr. Potter, come here dear."

Mia continued to glare at Professor Umbridge as Harry furiously made his way forward with his bag, kicking his chair aside as he went. Professor Umbridge took a minute to write out a note before sealing it and instructing Harry to take it to Professor McGonagall. Then, Harry left without another word although he slipped Mia a quick guilty glance before slamming the door shut behind him.

"Now then, let's get back to our reading, shall we?" Professor Umbridge urged, as if the past ten minutes never happened. Everyone turned their sights back to their textbooks, but Mia knew their minds were not on the words in front of them.

"You shouldn't have said that," Hermione barely breathed next to her, and Mia could detect the worry in her voice. "You and Harry need to keep your tempers in check."

"I'm sorry Hermione," Mia whispered back, taking steady breaths. "I didn't mean to add to it. It's just…what she said about Cedric…it's not fair…"

"I know," Hermione said sadly, reaching over to gently to pat Mia's hand. "I know."

Mia sighed to herself, thinking that maybe she and Harry should have had more than just a sip of the Draught of Peace.

…

"Hey, Mia."

Mia turned her head to see Alex Parker, her friend from Hufflepuff, walking towards her with a smile on his face and a couple books under his arm as he avoided the ones that were placing themselves back on the shelves.

"Hi Alex," she greeted warmly with a smile of her own. "What brings you to the library today?"

"The same as everyone else," Alex replied with a shrug. "Trying to get all of our work done. I can't believe all the stuff we've gotten in less than twenty-four hours."

"I can hardly believe it myself," Mia said as her eyes scanned the many volumes before her. "Harry, Ron and I are trying to get done the majority of our work so it won't take us as long to do it tonight."

"Where are they?" Alex asked, looking around to see if he could find the two boys.

"They're wandering around here somewhere," Mia answered with a fond roll of her eyes. "The last time I saw them they were lost somewhere in the alchemy section."

"By the way, I've heard about Harry's shouting match with Umbridge yesterday," Alex stated.

"I think the whole school has heard it by now," Mia sighed with a small frown. "I didn't make it much better."

"From what I've heard you were trying to calm him down," Alex pointed out.

"A lot of good it did. That awful toad just made me even more mad and I got a little snippy with her. Now I'm stuck in detention."

"Well, well, who would have thought that Amelia Thatcher would have ever received yet another detention in school?" Alex said playfully. "What's this, your second one in five years? Tut, tut, Mia."

"Oh shut up," Mia giggled, giving him a slight push. "But it'll be seven by the time this week is done. I really need to stop letting my emotions get in the way."

"That's Harry's job, right?"

"More or less," Mia said with a smirk. "But you gotta love him."

"Yeah. Hey Mia, is it all right if I ask you something?" Alex said, rubbing the back of his neck and averting his eyes.

"Yeah, sure," she replied. "Is there anything wrong?"

"Oh no, not really, um," he stuttered, seemingly at a loss of what to say. "Um, well—you know that assignment we had from Professor Grubbly-Plank today? About the Bowtruckles?"

"Yes," Mia said.

"Well, um, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me out with it? Mine wouldn't stay still long enough for me to draw a proper picture of it, and some of its body parts are hard to label, I mean it's so thin you can hardly tell. But if you can't or don't want to, I understand, I'm a little embarrassed asking you about it—"

"Alex," Mia laughed. "It's fine, don't worry, I'd be happy to help."

"Really?" Alex said, looking extremely relieved and happy. "Thanks Mia, I do appreciate it."

"I'm sure you do, mate."

Alex closed his eyes and groaned as two boys came around the corner from the next isle over, both of them with grins on their faces. Mia recognized them as Alex's two best friends, Duncan and Will. She had met them briefly last year at the Yule Ball when she and Alex had been walking around the gardens. They were rather nice and a bit goofy, reminding her of Fred and George.

"It's nice to see you again, Mia," Duncan greeted, reaching out and shaking her hand. "I see you like to keep stealing our friend away to secret corners."

"Shut up, Duncan," Alex growled.

"Just kidding Al, don't bite my head off."

"But seriously Mia, Alex here could use all the help he could get," Will added in with a shake of his head. "We just don't know where we went wrong with him, nothing we say is getting through."

"Why do I hang out with you again?" Alex muttered.

"Because your life would be incomplete and utterly lost without us," Duncan replied simply. "Anyway Mia, you think you could help our dear friend?"

"I'll try my best," Mia said with a laugh. "How about tomorrow during lunch? I can't do it tonight because of my detention."

"Ohhh, someone's a bad girl," Will said, wiggling his eyebrows at Alex. "Nice one, Al."

"Okay, you two, out, now," Alex said, his face burning bright red as he shoved them both away, with the two of them snickering. "Thanks Mia, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Alex," Mia said, smiling with amusement as the boys disappeared. Once she had gathered all the books she needed, she took them back over to the table where she was working with Harry and Ron, both of whom had returned with their own piles of books.

"Good, looks like you two didn't get lost," Mia said brightly as she took a seat next to Ron.

"No thanks to you," Ron muttered.

"I had complete faith that you would make it back alive and well, Ron," Mia said as she patted his head. "Come on, we still have plenty to do."

"At least you're halfway done though," Harry stated. "You only have one more essay to do, along with practice the Vanishing spell, and doing the countercharm for Flitwick."

"And the homework from Ancient Runes too," Mia reminded him, staring down at the parchment in front of her. "But I'll have to work on that tonight after detention."

Harry went silent at this for a moment and Mia cut him off when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Harry no, I already told you not to apologize."

"I was the one who started it."

"And I added onto it," Mia said. "We both got in trouble for it."

"But it was supposed to be my detention."

"Harry I'm as much to blame here," Mia said firmly as she opened up her book. "Yes, it's not fair, yes, she's a horrible old toad that makes me want to jinx her, and yes, it sucks we have to be punished, but there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to try our best not to be so vocal anymore."

"You do realize that this is you and Harry we're talking about, right?" Ron asked.

"Thanks for the obvious faith you have in us, Ron," Mia said with a fake glare, sticking her tongue out.

"Really nice, Mia," Harry said with a smirk.

"Keep it up you two," Mia warned as she turned the page of her book. "You forget that I have powers beyond your comprehension. There are so many things I could do and make it look like an accident."

"You love us too much," Harry said.

"I love you both enough not to kill you," Mia corrected. "Now for jinxing and potions, however…"

"This is all your fault," Ron said, glaring at Harry. "'Oh, how about a potion making kit? I know she'll love it!' Brilliant idea, that was."

"Too right you are, Ronald," Mia said with an evil smile, laughing to herself when she saw the boys shift away from her slightly, taking their chairs with them.

"By the way Harry, apparently my mum is going through a baking phase right now," Mia said while she scribbled on her parchment. "She's been making all kinds of stuff for her open houses, likes cakes, pies, and biscuits, so we should be expecting some leftovers in the mail sometime this week."

"You are so lucky," Ron mumbled as he rubbed his own stomach. "I've been dying for some of your mum's apple strudel for weeks now."

"Let's do a trade," Mia compromised. "Your mum's sugarplum truffles for my mum's strudel."

"Deal!" Ron agreed enthusiastically.

"And I'll put in a special request for treacle tart for you, Harry," Mia added.

"You're the best, Mia," Harry said with a genuine smile. At the sight of it, Mia felt her cheeks becoming a tad bit pink, and she quickly looked away, clearing her throat and scratching something out with her quill while she experienced a tingling sensation in her chest.

The rest of the day passed by with much more pleasant classes than the day before, such as Charms and Transfiguration, leading to a delicious dinner waiting for them in the Great Hall by the time it was all finished. Mia in particular was looking to eat her meal as fast as she could, since she had to be in Umbridge's office by five, therefore she didn't even bother taking her things up to Gryffindor tower.

"I can't believe you're stuck in detention every night this week," Hermione huffed.

"Mione, if I can survive a detention with Snape, this should be no problem," Mia assured her as she took a large bite out of her beef. "You three just don't cause any mischief or start our yearly dangerous adventure without me, okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry promised. When she was done eating, Mia stood to her feet and said farewell to her friends, leaving the Great Hall and heading up to Umbridge's office on the third floor. Her stomach did awful twists the closer she got, and Mia hoped that her detention tonight wasn't too bad, or too long, because if she was stuck in a room with Umbridge for an extended amount of time with her snarky remarks, she wasn't sure what would happen. Sighing and preparing herself for the worst, Mia reached the outside of the office door with three minutes to spare and knocked. She heard Umbridge on the other side inviting her in, and once she stepped inside, it took all of Mia's will power not to cry out in disbelief.

It looked as if someone had given a rather large paintbrush to a five-year-old girl and told her to go nuts with pink paint. Bright, illuminating pink walls surrounded her, with lacy tablecloths covering the desks and furniture, with flowered quilts hanging on the walls, flowers of pink, purple and red strewn about, and a wall of ornamental plates decorated against the far left wall, each one sporting a kitten with a ribbon tied around its neck. Compared to how she had seen the office in years past, this was all a bit too much for Mia, and she couldn't help but gape at it.

"Good evening, Miss Thatcher."

Mia was snapped out of her revere by the sound of Professor Umbridge's voice, as soft and sweet as normal, as she greeted Mia from her place beside her desk. After Mia gave her a greeting in return, Professor Umbridge instructed her to sit down at a lace-covered desk that was placed right next to hers, with a blank piece of parchment laying on top.

"Sit down dear, that's it," she said, gesturing to the seat behind the desk. "You're going to be doing some lines for me today, Miss Thatcher. I want you to write, _'I must do as I'm told.'_ "

Mia set her jaw but didn't say anything as she sat down in the chair and then reached into her bag for her quill.

"Oh no dear, not with your quill. You're going to be using a rather special one of mine," Professor Umbridge said, picking up a long, black feathered quill from her desk and placing it in front of Mia.

"How many times?" Mia asked in a tone that was neither rude nor polite.

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to sink in," Professor Umbridge replied. "I will be sitting right here if you should need anything."

With that being said, Professor Umbridge walked over to her own desk and took a seat, pulling what looked like a pile of essays towards her.

"You haven't given me any ink to write with, Professor," Mia said.

"You won't be needing any ink," Professor Umbridge stated as she wrote something on the top of the first essay. Mia furrowed her eyebrows at this—why wouldn't she be needing any ink? How was she supposed to write lines? Not wanting to think about it too much, Mia just took the quill in hand and started writing out the words on the parchment: _I must do as I'm told._ To her surprise words were indeed coming out of the quill in bright red ink. Did the quill somehow produce its own ink? She never heard of one doing so before. As she neared the end of her first sentence, she suddenly felt a sharp, red hot pain across the back of her left hand and she gasped, the quill trembling in her fingers as she stared at it. To her horror, she saw that the words she was writing on the parchment were now cutting themselves into her skin on the back of her hand as if by a small knife, leaving behind a stinging pain in their wake. Looking back and forth between her hand and the quill, Mia felt the color leave her face. The quill was not writing in ink, but in her own blood. Mia's heart picked up its pace a little as she stared up at Professor Umbridge, who was gazing at her with a sickly sweet fake look of concern.

"Yes?" she asked softly. Mia swallowed the huge lump in her throat and it took everything she had to stop her entire body from quivering as she looked into the eyes of this monster.

"Nothing," she replied quietly.

"That's right," Professor Umbridge soothed with a consoling smile. "Because you know, deep down, you deserve to be punished, don't you? You see Miss Thatcher, it cannot be acceptable for you to go about helping your friends spread horrible lies and deceiving others into believing that there is danger. What Mr. Potter fails to understand is that it not only brings him down, but it also brings down those who continue to blindly support him. I do hope that this lesson I'm trying to teach you will open your eyes, and you will do what is right for yourself and your classmates. Do continue, dear."

…

Many hours later, Mia walked along the dark, quiet corridors of the castle, finally leaving the dreadful detention she just experienced with Umbridge. Her lips were pressed tightly together so she would not make any noises of pain or discomfort, holding her left hand up against her chest where it was bleeding through slightly beneath the handkerchief she wrapped it in. Umbridge made her do lines the entire time she was in that office, each new one cutting the words a little deeper into her skin. Mia, however, refused to show any signs of pain or weakness, refusing to allow Umbridge to see that she had gotten to her. By some sort of miracle she survived the torture and left the room quickly, hearing Umbridge's calls of expecting to see her again tomorrow. Once she was a good distance away, Mia let out a shaky breath she had been holding in, with a soft cry following right after. The words on the back of her hand were starting to heal themselves, but at a very slow process…they hadn't even stopped bleeding yet. How could that vile woman do such a thing? It couldn't possibly be allowed at Hogwarts! That should be illegal! Was that the punishment she had in store for Harry? Was she really going to do this to him? The thought of it enraged her, but it hastily faded away as a new thought entered her mind.

" _What Mr. Potter fails to understand is that it not only brings him down, but it also brings down those who continue to blindly support him."_

Umbridge's words from earlier sunk in, and Mia could feel her eyes becoming a bit wet from unshed tears. Was Umbridge doing this to get something out of Harry? Could she truly be that terrible?

"Well, what do we have here?"

Mia looked up to see that Peeves the Poltergiest suddenly appeared before her, floating upside down with his usual grin and waving a finger at her.

"Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty!" he exclaimed as he sun himself upright. "Bad Thatchy, bad she is, wandering around so late, on her way back from detention! So gleeful and fun this is!"

"Peeves, please be quiet," said Mia.

"Toady, toady is who you were with, did she share her flies? So sad Thatchy looks, so down and run, but she can't—"

Peeves suddenly stopped midsentence, he grin fading ever so slightly as he stared at the hand Mia was clutching to her chest. In a matter of seconds, Peeves' whole demeanor changed and he deflated quite a bit, looking at Mia's hand in confusion.

"What's that, Thatchy's hiding?" he inquired.

"It's nothing," Mia said, quickly covering her hand with the sleeve of her robes.

"Tis' not nothing, nothing it is not," Peeves countered, a strange look glinting in his pale eyes.

"Peeves, _please,_ " Mia begged desperately, staring up at him imploringly, her tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. _"No one can know."_

"Bad Thatchy is, keeping bad secrets. Should tell, I should."

"No one can know," Mia repeated. "Please…"

Peeves stared at her for a good while, just floating in midair until he gave in irritated huff, followed by a raspberry and flew away down the corridor. Mia stared after him, one of her tears trailing down her face, and she wiped it away angrily. No, Umbridge was not going to do this. If she expected Mia to go running and crying to anyone, it would show that she held power over her, and that was not going to happen. And Mia would absolutely, positively _not_ tell Harry about this…she couldn't. Mia and Harry shared such a special bond as friends, he would be furious and devastated if he found out what had happened, and that was exactly what Umbridge wanted. Harry has so much going on right now, he doesn't need this on top of it. She just couldn't do that to him, for fear that it would break him and he would do something so irrational and stupid there would be no coming back from it. Mia looked down at her hand, examining it more carefully. She might have something in the dormitory that could help heal the cuts faster, and if anything remained, it's nothing a simple glamor charm couldn't fix. With her mind made up, Mia wiped away the last of her tears and kept on walking down the corridor, repeating the same words to herself over and over.

 _No one can know…no one can know._

 **Read and review, please.**


	9. Scarring Secrets and a Wicked Menace

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Nine: Scarring Secrets and a Wicked Menace

MPOV

The rest of the week passed by agonizingly slow for Mia, and it was some of the worst days she's ever had. After her first night of detention, she spent some time in the common room tending to her wounds on her hand, and after a little while she managed to stop the bleeding and rubbed a special balm on her hand that quickened the healing process and made the words vanish, although the skin was still red and tender. Thankful that it was not worse, Mia stayed up for a bit longer to get more caught up on the homework she had to do, and she finally finished around one-thirty in the morning. However, the coming days did nothing to sooth her worries. It seemed with every class she took, more and more piles of homework were loaded onto her and her classmates, making all the work they had done in previous years seem like child's play, and it was only their first week back! Soon enough having a few bites of lunch and running off to the library became part of her routine, as she was sure her detentions were going to go on well past midnight once again.

Sure enough, to Mia's despair, Umbridge had her writing line with her "special quill" every night she served detention, and it took everything within Mia to not flinch, gasp, or whimper as the words were carved into her skin over, and over again as the minutes ticked slowly by. She would always tend to her cuts after hours when she returned to the common room, but due to the excessive writing, the words were getting harder and harder to vanish. Eventually, on her third night of detention, the words simply refused to go away, leaving a fading, yet permanent scar on her hand. Umbridge herself seemed pleased at this, but she still wanted to see Mia the next night to make sure the message has really gotten through to her. Therefore, with a heavy heart, Mia was forced to put a glamor spell on her hand to make it look like nothing was wrong.

Mia tried her best to look at the bright spots the past few days had given her. The day after her first detention, she had kept her word to Alex and met up with him in the library to help him with his Bowtruckle assignment. He had admired her own drawing of it, saying it was beautiful, and she couldn't help the small blush that spread across her cheeks at the praise. Along with doing their work, they also caught up on other things, such as how their summers went.

"One of the horses on our ranch estate had a foal back in July," Alex had told her happily. "I got to name him, too—Gerald."

"Gerald?" Mia giggled.

"It suits him, he looks like a Gerald," Alex said.

"I'd really love to see them," Mia sighed with a smile. She had a true love for horses, since they were her favorite animal. She recalled when she was seven years old, all she wanted was toys and clothes that were horse-themes, and Ben had even gone as far as to get her a cowgirl hat for her birthday and a huge stuffed toy horse that was much bigger than her at the time.

"Well, you can if you want," Alex said. "They don't get out much in the winter, obviously, but you could come and see them this summer. I know my parents wouldn't mind."

"Really?" Mia said, her face and eyes lighting up instantly. "I would absolutely love that, Alex! That's so kind of you."

At that point Mia had given Alex a tight hug, and his face turned at least three shades of red at the contact. Also, Mia had taken advantage of the time she spent with her friends, even if most of it was dedicated to their academics. One night Harry and Ron were goofing around so much she almost fell out of her seat from laughing so hard, and she even got into a paper ball fight with Ron that annoyed Hermione to know end. Once in a while the guilt of Mia's secret would hit her pretty hard, and she found herself wanting to tell them so many times, but she was afraid. She was afraid of the repercussions, the consequences, Umbridge's triumph, and her friends' rage. She knew that Ron and Hermione would be furious as well as Harry, and although Hermione would be a bit more sensible about how to handle it, she knew Ron would want to take a more practical approach. More than once she thought about maybe going to McGonagall, but she wasn't sure if her standing overpowered Umbridge's, and when she thought about possibly Dumbledore, she got even more nervous and anxious. Dumbledore has so much going on already, and would he even have the power to stop Umbridge from handing out punishments in her own class?

 _But this is more like torture,_ Mia thought to herself. _Surely he wouldn't stand for this. But it's almost over, so I won't have to deal with it much longer._

By the time Friday came around, Mia was dreading and looking forward to her detention at the same time, for it would be the last one. When she came down the staircase to meet up with her friend before going into the Great Hall, she saw all three of them were waiting for her. Harry had his Firebolt with him, as he would be at the tryouts for the Keeper position that night, and, to Mia's complete and utter surprise, Ron had his broom too.

"Ron!" she exclaimed happily as she hurried forward to stand in front of him. "You're going to try out for Keeper?"

"Yeah," Ron replied, his nerves coating his voice and his hand gripping the broom even tighter. "I always used to play as Keeper when my brothers practiced in the summer, and I just thought, why not?"

"That's incredible!" Mia said. "Oh, I really wish I was there to see you guys tonight."

"Us too," Harry said with a grin. "But I guess Hermione will have to do."

"Excuse me?" Hermione quipped indignantly.

"No offense Hermione, but you do know Mia is the number one fan," Ron shrugged.

"I really, really hope you get it Ron," Mia said with a bright smile. "You would be amazing as the Gryffindor Keeper."

"Don't inflate his head too much, Mia," Hermione said. "Harry's probably going to have to help him out."

"Hey, leave me out of this," Harry objected.

"I can do perfectly fine on my own," Ron argued.

"And that's our que for dinner," Mia quickly said, taking Harry's hand and practically running out of the common room, her laughter getting the best of her. After they were finished with their meal, Mia bid her friends goodbye as they left through the entrance hall to go down to the Quidditch field and she left to go up to Umbridge's office.

"Good evening, Miss Thatcher," Umbridge greeted as she entered.

"Good evening," Mia said indifferently, while in her mind she was cursing this pink hag in every way possible.

"You know what to do, dear," she said, gesturing over towards the wretched desk. With no hesitation, Mia walked over and took her seat at the desk, picked up the quill and started writing once again. _I must do as I'm told._ The words on the back of her hand were instantly cut open again and were trickling blood down her wrist but she forced herself to think of other things while she wrote to keep her mind off of the pain. Were they going to start the tryouts right away? What exactly would Ron have to do? Try to stop goals made by Angelina, Katie, and Alicia? She wondered if Harry had a part in the tryouts as well. It would be great if Ron made it on the team, he's a good flier, and this would be something big that he could say he had been a part of while he was at school. A prefect, and the Gryffindor Keeper! Mia made a mental note to herself to make him something for his first match, maybe some sort of victory banner! She had gotten much better at sewing since her last visit with Mrs. Brugger, who she had seen a week before the Dementor attack in August. They had such a pleasant time, drinking tea, talking about books, and Mrs. Brugger even taught her a few stitching techniques that she had learned from her mother. Mia did miss her friendly neighbor, and wondered how she was doing.

Random thoughts such as these filtered through Mia's head, making the pain and the sight of her blood on the parchment much more bearable. Darkness soon settled over the castle once again, and Mia wondered how much longer it would be before Umbridge deemed it fitting to free her from this prison. The candlelight was burning low, and it seemed like eternity before Umbridge at last told her to stop and come forward. Relieved, Mia put the quill down and walked over to Umbridge, who took her hand in hers and ran her thumb across the words, causing Mia to suppress a flinch.

"Well, it seems as though my message has sunken in enough," she said sweetly, patting her wrist. "I do hope you take my instructions more carefully and seriously, Miss Thatcher. Good night."

"Good night," Mia replied stiffly before she turned around, grabbed her bag and walked out of the office, closing the door behind her. Mia walked up to the next floor keeping her left hand to her chest and then briskly made her way over to the nearest bathroom. Once she was there, she placed her hand under one of the faucets and ran warm water over her bleeding hand, hissing loudly at the stinging pain. Once she had it cleaned, she dug into her bag for her balm and carefully rubbed it against her irritated skin, biting her lips. When that was done, she let it air out for a minute before taking her wand and waving it over her hand, muttering the glamor charm. The red, scarred words disappeared instantly, leaving a smooth, fair surface, although Mia could still feel the pain. Taking in a sharp breath through her nose, Mia gathered her things and then left the bathroom, looking forward to a night with no homework ahead of her. She made it too Gryffindor tower and then gave the password to the Fat Lady before stepping inside. To her surprise she saw that there was someone there, wide awake and bending over rolls of parchment and an open book.

"Harry?" Mia said as she walked inside. "What are you doing up this late?"

"Hey Mia," Harry greeted tiredly, rubbing at his eyes a little as he turned a page in the book. "I couldn't sleep, and there's still a bunch of homework I need to do."

"You had plenty of time this week to get it done," Mia pointed out.

"I know, Hermione's already reminded me," he said. "It just seems like whenever I'm close to getting something done, three more things pile up right behind it."

"You better start getting use to that, because that's what it's going to be like for the whole year."

"Yeah, well, it didn't help that I got my study partner in detention all of this weak," he mumbled, causing Mia to roll her eyes at him. "Snape's essay is bad enough as it is."

"Okay, move over," Mia stated as she walked over and set her bag down next to him, taking the chair beside him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sitting."

"Well, that's obvious. I mean, _why_ are you sitting?"

"I'm going to help you with your essay," Mia answered.

"It's after midnight Mia, you've spent hours writing lines," Harry countered. "You must be tired."

"Maybe, but I'm not going to leave you all by yourself to finish this when you're just as tired and I could help," Mia said. "This is a hard topic Harry, it took me a while to finish this myself, and I'm not going to leave you stranded until daybreak. Now, what have you got so far?"

Harry sighed but consented, showing her everything he had so far. Mia read over his introduction and first couple of paragraphs, smiling.

"I don't know what you're so worried about Harry," Mia said. "You're doing a pretty good job so far. You're a lot smarter than you think."

"Thanks, Mia," Harry said with some color in his face. "I just can't think of more than a couple properties of the moonstone and there are so many potions it's used in."

"Well, you don't have to list all the potions, maybe some of the more important or popular ones," Mia suggested. "Like Dipper's Brew, or even Beacon's Light. Do you remember the shell I gave to you for your thirteenth birthday?"

"Yes," Harry said with a nod.

"Well, I looked into it more, and the shell was drizzled with some of Beacon's Light, where the main ingredient is moonstone," Mia explained. "That's what makes the shell glow, and gives the potion its light."

"Really?" Harry said, surprised. "Wow, I never knew that. I could use that as an example."

"Go for it," Mia said. She watched as Harry started writing on his piece of parchment, although after a couple minutes he paused, his hand unmoving.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked. Harry turned to look at her and his eyebrows were furrowed in curiosity.

"That smell…"

"What?"

"You're wearing that perfume again, aren't you?"

"It's not bothering you, is it? I can go to the showers really quick and come back…"

"No, it's fine, it's nice," Harry said with a tiny smile. "It suits you."

 _Damn, he's doing it again!_ Mia cleared her throat as she tried to calm down the butterflies bouncing around inside of her stomach and tried to the force the image of leaning in closer to Harry out of her mind.

"So, um, how was the tryouts?" she asked, looking for a change in subject.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Ron did it!" Harry said, his face lighting up in delight. "He's the new Keeper. We had a party for him earlier—"

"What?! He made Keeper, and you didn't tell me right away?!" Mia demanded as she smacked his arm. "Harry Potter, that should have been the first thing that came out of your mouth!"

"Bloody hell, Mia," Harry grunted, rubbing his arm, only to fall back slightly as Mia threw herself at him in a tight embrace.

"I can't believe it, both of my boys are on the Quidditch team!" she gushed, her smile beaming. "This season is going to be brilliant, I just know it!"

"Don't get too excited yet," Harry said when she pulled away. "Ron's good, he just have to work on his confidence."

"With you to help him out, I'm sure that'll be no problem. Remember, when you were first made Seeker you were nearly shaking in your boots."

"Well you didn't help much by saying you would be holding a mattress underneath me with Lucy and Alex."

"My point is, I'm sure everything will be all right," Mia pressed on, feeling like jumping in her seat from her enthusiasm. After taking a couple more minutes of talking about the wonderful future of the team, Mia and Harry once again fell into soft conversation about Harry's schoolwork, moving along fairly fast. At one point while Harry was finishing up his essay, Mia yawned to herself and went to pull one of his books over towards her to check for references when something fell out of it. Picking it up, Mia saw what looked like a folded up letter with the name _Snuffles_ written across it.

"Harry," Mia said, holding out the letter to him. "I thought you were going to be more careful writing to Snuffles?"

"I am," Harry said quickly, taking the letter and placing it back inside the book. Something in his posture and tone made Mia's eyebrows furrow in concern.

"Harry, is something wrong?" she asked. "You can tell me."

Harry looked at her for a brief moment before sighing, raising his hand to rub his scar almost subconsciously.

"Remember the first day we had Umbridge's class, and she wrote that note for me to give to McGonagall?" Harry said, to which she nodded. "Well, something…something happened that has me a bit—worried."

"Worried?" Mia repeated. "What was it?"

"When Umbridge gave me the note, she touched my hand, and…my scar started to hurt again."

"What?" Mia gasped, her eyes going wide at the surprising news. "Your scar hurt? But, you didn't look it…Harry, why didn't you say anything? That's serious."

"I know, but I didn't want everyone staring at me and having another reason to call me crazy, so I just left. And it wasn't horrible," Harry explained. "It wasn't like how it was in the past, or last year. It lasted for only half a minute, and it was more of a prickling pain than anything, like a temporary burn. But I felt something too, almost like a glimpse of anger."

"You were really angry with her at the time," Mia reminded gently.

"But this anger didn't feel completely mine," Harry admitted quietly. "It was kind of like it was…someone else's too."

There was a silent moment as Harry's words took a minute to sink in. Mia took a deep breath—although everything inside her wanted to panic at this information, she forced herself to remain calm.

"Do you think you were feeling _him_?" she asked.

"Maybe, but I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence that my scar hurt right when she touched me," Harry said. "That's why I wanted to ask Si—Snuffles about it, maybe he would have some answers. This letter was just the first one I wrote, but it didn't sound right, so I ended up sending him another one."

"You can't put stuff like that in a letter though!" Mia objected.

"I'm not, I had it coded, there's no way anyone can know what it really says," Harry said. Mia sighed and rubbed at her own tired eyes.

"I wonder what it's like to have a normal life," she said.

"Sorry about that…"

"Hey, I'm not regretting it," Mia hurriedly assured him, smiling. "You've certainly made my life interesting to say the least, Harry, and I wouldn't change it for anything."

"You wouldn't?"

"Nope," Mia confirmed. "Who needs normal, anyway?"

"Mia," Harry said, looking so sincere yet unsure of what to say. "Thank you."

Silence one more came between them, but this one…this one was different. Mia found herself staring into Harry's bright, beautiful green eyes, which seemed to sparkle wonderfully even in the surrounding shadow. The air around them suddenly became very thick, and she found that it was slightly harder to breathe than normal. The two of them were sitting so very close, and in the back of Mia's mind, she felt that it wasn't quite close enough. Somehow, someway, she found herself leaning forward ever so slowly, her heart thumping wildly inside of her chest and the more logical part of her brain was screaming at her to stop now, before she ruined everything. But, what could be so bad? And was—was Harry moving closer as well? They were so, so close, never breaking eye contact. Mia thought she could feel the ghost of Harry's breath against her lips, and her eyes began to slowly flutter close…

 _Thump!_

Mia and Harry drew apart so fast one would think they'd been electrocuted. Mia's head whipped around to see that Crookshanks was on a nearby table, and it looked as though he had knocked over a tray of what looked like some of Fred and George's candies, which were now scattered across the floor. The dreamy haze she found herself in was gone in an instant, and Mia turned back to look at Harry with wide eyes, her face going from pink to pale in a matter of seconds.

"Uh…Mia, uh…" Harry stuttered.

"I—I think you're coming along quite well, Harry, and it's getting really late, maybe we should finish tomorrow, huh?" Mia said in a hushed breath, her voice going higher than normal as she leapt from her seat and grabbed her things, this time avoiding Harry's eyes at all costs. "I'll see you in the morning! Goodnight!"

Before another word was said, she practically sprinted away from Harry and through the door that led up to the girl's dormitories. She hastily made her way up the spiral stairs and rushed through the door leading to the room where the other girls were already sound asleep in their beds, and Mia closed the door a little too sharply behind her, but thankfully it didn't wake anyone up. She leaned her back against it, trying to regain her breath and calm her still frantic heart, horrified at what she had almost done.

 _I almost kissed him. I almost kissed Harry._

Mia closed her eyes, wanting nothing more than to smack herself for her stupidity. Merlin, what was she going to do? She cannot let her crush get the better of her! She was close to possibly ruining her relationship with Harry forever, over something so childish. How could she even think of kissing him? He would more than likely think she had gone bonkers and kept his distance.

 _But…but wasn't he leaning towards me too? Does that mean maybe he wanted…_

Mia snapped her eyes open, giving herself the mental scolding of the century. Of course Harry wouldn't want to kiss her! That was just her imagination running wild on her. They were very best friends, and besides that, he really liked Cho, she could tell, and Harry…he deserves much better than her anyway. What good was there to be gained with getting together with a Muggleborn girl who had her nose in books half the time, drew silly pictures in her free time, and was terrified to ride on a broom? Mia hugged her hand closer to her chest, feeling the burn of the words now more than ever.

"He would never want me," she whispered, a sadness coating her heart. "Never."

…

Time started to go by slightly faster and with more of a bright side than what the first week of school had to offer. During Harry and Ron's first Quidditch practice of the season, she went down to the field with them early to see Ron fly herself, and she was very pleasantly surprised with his skill. He did a good job blocking most of the Quaffles that Harry threw to him, his face set with confidence and focus. Mia was beyond excited that two of her very best friends were now on the team, and she knew that it would make the games even more incredible. Even when the rest of the team eventually joined them, Ron seemed ready to give it his all. That is, until the Slytherin team, led by none other than Draco Malfoy, made their appearance and managed to completely shatter Ron's confidence. They yelled taunting jokes to him, making him lose his focus, as well as jobbing at other members of the team, Harry included. After this went on for a bit, Mia felt ready to jinx ever one of them, or at least set the silencing spell on them to shut them up, but practice was cut short when Katie, who had gotten a nose bleed earlier on from Ron by accident, was losing too much blood and had to be taken to the hospital wing by Fred and George.

To add even more to these unpleasant events, that very same night, Ron surprisingly received a letter from Percy, much to everyone's shock. As far as Mia knew, no one from Ron's family had received any contact from Percy at all ever since their big blowout with him over the summer. Ron read it to himself before giving it to them, and although Percy congratulated Ron on becoming a prefect, he also cautioned Ron to cut ties with Harry, rid himself of the delusional crowd that supports Dumbledore, and to not let his family ties stop him from going against their family's wrongdoings. Ron was so furious at this that he tore up the letter and threw it into the fire. This act saddened Mia deeply—no matter how much they didn't get along, she knew that Percy's behavior was hurting Ron, and she hated that there was nothing she could do to help. Percy seemed adamant that he was right, as per usual, and nothing but Voldemort throwing glittered confetti in his face with an "I'm Back" banner would change his mind.

"I'm sure he'll eventually come around, Ron," Mia tried to sooth him. "He's just a little…"

"Pig-headed? Obnoxious? An oblivious git who can't get the stick out of his—"

"I was going to say 'in denial,' but I suppose that works to," Mia continued slowly, although she was chuckling on the inside. Ron had opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped at the sight of Harry getting out of his own seat and bending down on his knees in front of the fire, staring into it.

"Um, Harry?" Mia asked in concern. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Why are you on the floor?" Hermione said.

"Because I've just seen Snuffles' head in the fire," he replied, quite calmly.

"What?" Mia hissed in a whisper while Hermione's eyes went wide and she looked around to make sure they were completely alone. "Are you serious?"

"No, I am."

Mia jumped in her seat and Hermione gasped as they caught sight of Sirius' head floating in the fire, his long dark hair framing his face and a grin set onto his face.

"That wasn't funny," Mia said. "What are you doing, Sirius?"

"You and Remus have no sense of humor," Sirius countered with a roll of his eyes. "This was the only way I could answer Harry's letter without having to answer it in a code, and codes can be deciphered."

"You didn't say you'd written to Sirius," Hermione said accusingly to Harry.

"I honestly forgot to tell you guys," Harry admitted. Hermione gave him a look and was about to scold him when Mia hushed her and pointed to the stares, telling her they had to be quiet so as not to alert anyone. Sirius and Harry had started talking about the other day when Harry's scar had hurt him bad when Mia was in detention with Umbridge, and if it meant anything. Sirius was sure it was nothing to really worry about, since it did hurt as well last year often, and Harry concluded that Voldemort was probably feeling a strong emotion that day, so of course, being connected through Harry's scar, he must have felt it too. The topic then turned to Umbridge herself, and Sirius told them about how Umbridge had been on a campaign for years against half-breeds, especially werewolves, and she could be a real nasty piece of work. While they had been talking, Mia could feel the words hidden on her hand tingle and she subconsciously pulled the sleeve of her shirt over it. The wanted felon also told them that the reason Umbridge was probably cracking down on not using magic was because Fudge doesn't want the students trained in combat, fearing that Dumbledore craved his power and was forming a secret army to take on the ministry.

"And just when I think Fudge couldn't be any more of an idiot!" Mia had said angrily. "Making we should make an army, just to get his frilly knickers in a twist."

Harry and Ron had both snickered loudly at this while Hermione scowled and Sirius smirked. When they had expressed their feelings of Hagrid still not being back yet, Sirius was quick to assure them that Hagrid would be all right.

"Listen, don't go asking anymore questions about Hagrid," he had told them. "It'll just draw more attention to the fact that he's not back, and Dumbledore doesn't want that. Hagrid's tough, he'll be okay. When's your next Hogsmeade weekend, anyway? I was thinking, we got away with the dog disguise at the station, didn't we? I thought I could—"

"NO!" Harry and Hermione said very loudly together.

"Ow, my poor ears," Mia moaned, as she had been sitting right next to Hermione at the time.

"Sirius, didn't you see the _Daily Prophet?_ " Hermione fretted anxiously.

"Oh, that. They're always guessing where I am, but they never—"

"We think they might have an idea this time," Harry rushed in to say, desperate. "Malfoy said something to us on the train that made us think him and his dad recognized you, Sirius, and if you come up here, and if he sees you—"

"All right, all right, I get the point," Sirius grumbled, looking very displeased. "Just an idea, I thought you'd might like to get together."

"I would, I just don't want you to get chucked back in Azkaban!" Harry said. There was a moment of silence as Sirius stared at Harry, a frown set into his face.

"You're less like your father than I thought," he said, coolly. "The risk would've made it fun for James."

"Look—"

"Well, I better get going, I can hear Kreacher coming down the stairs. "I'll write to tell you a time when I can get back into the fire, then, shall I? If you can stand to risk it?"

Before another word was said, there was a small pop and Sirius' head disappeared from the fire. It was quiet for a moment between them all, with Harry still staring into the flames, his face blank, and the fire flickering in his eyes.

"Harry," Mia said softly. "I'm sure he didn't…"

"I know," Harry muttered softly. "Maybe he's right. But I can't risk it, Mia. I can't have him back in Azkaban just because he wants to see me…I can't."

Mia couldn't help but feel very sorry for Harry in that moment. Ever since he came to the Wizarding World, Harry has been commented on how much he looks and acts like his father. Hearing it come from Sirius was something Mia knew Harry enjoyed greatly, having his godfather see something of his father in him that made him proud. In that moment, Mia understood more of what Hermione was saying this past summer about Sirius being selfish. The man is cooped up twenty-four seven with rare contact, and she knew how much the idea of being outside to visit his godson would make him happy, but he needs to understand if he were to get caught it would hurt Harry beyond words. Mrs. Weasley's words rang in her ears from the argument she had had with Sirius that night in Grimmauld Place.

 _"He's not_ _James,_ _Sirius!"_

At the time, Sirius had said that he knew perfectly well who Harry was…but did he? Harry was so much more than that, but not everyone could see it.

A couple of days later, Mia sat alone in one of the courtyards on the west side of the castle, enjoying the last bits of sunshine before it disappeared into the hills and she had to go back inside to get ready for dinner. She sat in one of the large stone windowsills, a piece of parchment perched on top of a book in her lap, her swan-feathered quill resting against her cheek as she tried to finish off her letter to Mrs. Brugger. Her poor old neighbor has been feeling sick, and Mia thought a nice letter would cheer her up some. She tried to make it as positive as she could, considering everything that was going on right now, plus that fact that she couldn't put anything magic related in it either. Sighing to herself, Mia set her quill down and rubbed at her eyes, thinking that maybe she would finish up the letter tomorrow before breakfast and send it out with the morning mail. She stowed away all of her things inside of her bags and stood up, stretching a little before heading back inside. She would go to put all of her things in Gryffindor tower before meeting up with the others in the Great Hall. As she walked won the corridors, she started thinking of some of the treats or knick knacks that she could send to Brian after the first Hogsmeade trip. While she made her way up to the third floor, she was distracted from her thoughts by a loud ripping sound, and the next thing she knew, her bag had split open at the bottom and all of her things came spilling out.

"What the…" Mia gaped at her bag for a moment, wondering what in the world had happened before she groaned to herself and then bent down to gather her things. Thankfully her ink bottle didn't shatter, but many of her pieces of parchment and notes came flying out. Just as she was almost done picking them up, she reached out for her Charms book, but before she could touch it, she suddenly felt a quick breeze rush past her and in the next second, Peeves came shooting out of nowhere and snatched her book.

"What's this I have here?" he exclaimed gleefully, waving it at Mia high in the air. "Thatchy's book this is, now it's all mine!"

"Peeves!" Mia said, jumping to her feet and reaching out for her book. "Give that back!"

"Mine, mine, it's all mine!" Peeves sang, twirling around with the book in his hands until he took off down the corridor.

 _"Peeves!"_ Mia shouted in frustration, quickly grabbing the rest of her things in her arms and running after the poltergeist. "Give me my book!"

"Catch me if you can!" Peeves cackled as he went, weaving this way and that, blowing raspberries. Mia grunted in annoyance as she followed him up a flight of stairs to the next floor, trying to keep a hold of her supplies. Peeves rounded a corner and Mia was quick to follow him, wondering how she was ever going to get him to stop. However, the moment she turned the corner, she was forced to come to a complete and utter halt, for she was about to head straight into someone. She caught sight of a head of dirty blonde hair framing what looked like oversized, thick pink and green glasses that had violet lenses and seemed to spin, before digging her heels into the floor to stop herself, resulting in her losing her balance and tumbling to the ground, her things once again falling everywhere.

"Thatchy had a fall, Thatchy had a fall!" Peeves laughed, rolling around in the air. "Silly Thatchy!"

"Peeves!"

Peeves simply had another bout of laughter before tossing the Charms book at Mia's feet and flying off once again, his voice echoing through the corridor. Cursing the wicked menace, Mia glared after him until she turned her sights to whoever or whatever she nearly ran over. She soon realized that the strange glasses were attached to a person who was holding _The Quibbler_ to her chest, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder, her radish earrings jingling and her blue and black school robes standing out brilliantly in the light of the slowly setting sun.

"Hello, Amelia Thatcher," Luna said in greeting with a dreamy smile.

"Uh, hello Luna," Mia mumbled as she started getting to her feet. "I'm sorry about nearly tackling you."

"It's all right, I'm impressed with how fast you are," Luna stated absentmindedly. "Would you like some help?"

"Yes, please," Mia sighed, bending over and using a spell to seal up her bag again before picking up her things. Luna bent down to help her and that was when Mia realized that Luna had nothing on her feet except mismatched socks.

"Luna…where are your shoes?" Mia asked slowly,

"I'm not sure at the moment," Luna replied as she handed Mia some of her books. "People tend to hide them from me sometimes, so I have to go and look for them."

"What?" Mia said in shock. "That's awful!"

"Oh no, it's all great fun, Amelia," Luna countered with another smile. "I like to think of it as a fun game. Things we lose have a way of coming back to us, you know."

"But still, it doesn't make it right when people purposely take things from you," Mia said. "And you can call me Mia."

"You don't like your name?" Luna asked.

"I do, I just prefer Mia more than anything," Mia answered.

"My mother used to have a cat named Amelia, you know," Luna said. "She was very sweet, although she was blind in one eyes, and she loved chasing the garden gnomes. She passed away some time ago, it was very sad."

"Oh, I'm sorry Luna," Mia said, not quite sure why Luna was telling her this.

"But Mia is nice too, it suits you better, I think."

"Thanks. What are those glasses?"

"They're something that I enchanted myself," Luna replied. "Although I'm still working on it. They can be used to see things that can't normally be seen. I made them so I can find the Nargles easier, but they're not quite right yet."

"Nargles? What are they?" Mia asked. However, Luna wasn't listening—instead, her dreamy looked faded some and she was staring directly at Mia's left hand. With a sudden horrible jolt, Mia realized that while the skin looked smooth, Luna's glasses saw something completely different.

"What is on your hand, Mia?" Luna asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Mia said feigning puzzlement.

"Those words, _I must do as I'm told._ "

"Oh, that—that's nothing," Mia said, hastily drawing her sleeves over her hand and stuffing the rest of her things in her bag. "Just an accident."

"Blood Quills are not an accident," Luna countered, a furrow in her brows. "They're quite medieval, actually. How did this happen?"

"It's really nothing, Luna," Mia said, trying to play it off as nothing while pushing down the slowly rising panic that was beginning to build in her chest.

"You're hurting, aren't you?"

" _It's nothing._ Please, don't mention this to anyone, there's no point in getting everyone riled up for nothing, it was just an accident. It'll go away soon, really."

Luna said nothing, but continued staring at Mia as if she were trying to make the glasses help see right through her. Desperately trying to find a change in subject, Mia suggested that they go on down to the Great Hall together for dinner, and some of Luna's smile returned as she happily accepted. The two girls then started making their way downstairs together, with Luna skipping alongside Mia as she started to explain what exactly Nargles were. Mia couldn't help but feel a little relieved, hoping that this bullet she just dodged wouldn't come back for a second strike.

PeevesPOV

Peeves watched hidden in the window as he saw the two girls turn around and walk away together, with Loony Lovegood skipping along and Thatchy putting on a half-smile. An impish grin came across his face as he chuckled and started bouncing down the corridor in the opposite direction. Loony may be out there a bit, but she was in Ravenclaw for a reason. If everything went good, then Thatchy's little secret would face the light sooner than she'd like. While the idea seemed wickedly good in Peeves' mind, a tiny part deep inside him hoped it would come to pass for another reason. Umbridge was nothing but a slimy toad that he couldn't tolerate from the moment she stepped into the castle. After seeing Thatchy's state that night, he came to a resolution: No one messed with the students here except _him._ This was his territory, and anyone who dared to trespass would soon come to regret it. Yes, Umbridge certainly had some fun times planned ahead for her, orchestrated by himself.

 _Ohh, such fun this will be!_ Peeves smiled even wider as he continued to bounce around, knowing that Loony Lovegood wouldn't let him down.

 **Read and review please!**


	10. Introducing Professor Potter

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Ten: Introducing Professor Potter

HPOV

 _ **MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM: DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST-EVER "HIGH INQUISITOR"**_

 _In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

 _"The Minister has been growing uneasy about on-goings at Hogwarts for some time," said Junior assistant to the Minister, Percy Weasley. "He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve._

 _This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the Wizarding school. As recently as August 30_ _th_ _Educational Decree Twenty-Three was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person._

 _"That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts," said Weasley last night. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge, and of course, she's been an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts."_

 _"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-Three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor'…"_

A deep frown was set on Harry's face as he continued to listen to Hermione read through the morning issue of the Daily Prophet, and it kept getting deeper with every word she recited. Ron was sitting across from him with a half-eaten piece of toast in his hand, his face dumbstruck and Mia was next to him, her eyes burning bright with agitation. The article went on to say that being the new High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, Umbridge had to the power to observe the "falling standards" of the school, inspecting the other teachers to make sure that they are giving out a Ministry-approved instruction. There was even some mention of Dumbledore's habit of hiring inadequate teachers, such as Remus Lupin, the werewolf, Alastor Moody, the deranged Ex-Auror, and Rubeus Hagrid, the half-breed, made by none other than Lucius Malfoy. By the time Hermione had finished reading, Harry's decent mood for the start of the day had already been plundered.

"So now we know how we ended up with Umbridge!" Hermione whispered furiously. "Dumbledore couldn't find anyone so Fudge forced her on us! This is outrageous!"

"I know it is," Harry muttered, glaring at the _Daily Prophet_ with great distaste. However, he was surprised to see that there was a beaming grin on Ron's face.

"What are you smiling about?" Harry asked him.

"Umbridge has the power to inspect the teachers, right?" Ron said. "That means eventually she'll have to observe Snape and McGonagall's class."

All at once, Harry saw Mia's frown disappear in the blink of an eye and she hastily stuffed the last of her own toast into her mouth, gathering her things with her other hand.

"Come on, guys!" she exclaimed with a giddy grin. "We have Potions after History of Magic, and the faster we deal with Binns, the sooner we get to see that hag get exactly what she deserves! Oh, I hope she's stupid enough to mess with that greasy bat!"

"Hold on, Mia!" Ron called after her, but she was already rushing out of the hall with that grin still on her face. "Bloody hell, I haven't seen her get this excited since Snape went up against Lockhart in second year."

"We better hurry if we're going to catch up with her," Harry said, smiling after his crazy best friend as he slung his bag over his shoulder and made to follow her.

Thankfully, the day was already proving to be much better than how they started last week. Umbridge wasn't in Binns' class, but it was no less boring as he had them read the next chapter in their books, and Harry was content with passing floating notes back and forth to Mia, who was sitting in front of him. At one point she had sent him a small doodle of a cartoon toad with huge warts trapped inside of a jar, eyes scrunched up in anger and screaming the word, _"Enough!"_ Harry had to press his fist into his mouth to keep himself from snorting, but the same couldn't be said for Ron, because when he showed him the doodle, the redhead snorted so loud that Hermione gave him a reproving glare over her shoulder and Harry shoved his shoulder to get him to be quiet. Lucky for them they had an Umbridge-free morning, even in double Potions, although Mia was slightly put out by that. When Snape handed back their moonstone essays, he gave Harry's back to him with a bit of an ugly sneer, and when Harry looked at his paper, he was very surprised to see a spiky black A at the top right corner.

"Acceptable," he muttered in disbelief.

"You're kidding," Ron said, leaning across to see for himself. "Well I'll be…I wonder how painful it was for Snape to write that?"

"See? I told you that you were smarter than you thought," Mia stated with a proud smile, placing her own paper inside of her bag.

"It's thanks to your help, though," Harry said. "Thank you so much for helping me, Mia. He probably would've given me a T otherwise."

"No problem," Mia said. "You can just buy me that crystal-lensed telescope from that shop in Diagon Alley for my birthday and we'll call it even."

"Why on earth would you want a telescope for your birthday?" Ron said. "Why not ask for those new Coca Cannon Balls from Honeydukes, or Spark Hats from Cobblers?"

"Well I was thinking about demanding Harry's soul, but I thought that might be a bit much," Mia replied with a smirk. "I figured a telescope would suffice."

"Thanks for that," Harry said with an amused eye roll while Hermione giggled at them. When class had begun, Snape gave them instructions on the board for yet another potion, and this time Harry made sure to re-read them at least three times as he worked on his potion, wanting to prove the sniveling potions master that he wasn't incompetent. After what felt like forever, the lesson was coming to an end, and although Harry's potion wasn't as clear as Hermione and Mia's he felt confident that it was acceptable, as there were others whose potions was sparkling, smoking, or even bubbling different colors. It was such an improvement from last Monday that Harry actually smiled a bit in relief as they left the dungeons to head back to the Great Hall for lunch. The hour was spent with Harry and his friends taking a breather, talking and laughing together, and at one point Fred and George came over to sit with them with their friend Lee Jordan, and Hermione glared outright when Fred offered one of their candies to Mia to try out.

"I thought we told you to stop that," she said. "Those things could be dangerous."

"You said we couldn't give out the candies to first years," George corrected. "And do you really think so low of us, Hermione?"

"We would never endanger the life of our precious Mia," Fred stated, pulling Mia to his side and playfully glaring at Hermione. "You should be ashamed."

"Our little Mia, our precious flower, our darling treasure, would never be submitted to any harm from us," George declared.

"Because you know I would hex you, right?" Mia asked.

"That and the fact that we would be on the brunt end of another one of Harry's tantrums," George said with a shiver. "That's not very pleasant."

"I hear you on that," Ron muttered.

"And for your information, this is a harmless little candy that is meant to be a hit with all the younger kids," Fred explained. "We call it 'The Sweet Tooth Toffee,' you only have to suck on it, and you'll get course after course of delicious treats and deserts, enough to make your sweet tooth quiver. It'll hold everything from chocolate mousse to cinnamon apple tarts. Mia, would you be a dear and test it out for us?"

"I won't turn into a blueberry, will I?" Mia asked apprehensively.

"Why on earth would you turn into a blueberry?" Lee asked.

"Never mind," Mia said while Harry laughed. "It's a Muggle thing."

"But yet very interesting," George said, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he leaned forward on his arm towards Mia. "Tell us more about this Blueberry Transformation, Mia."

"Don't even think about it, you two," Hermione warned.

"What? We're just asking a simple question," George said. Mia smiled at this and then leaned in to whisper something in Fred's ear, to which he furrowed his eyebrows.

"What in the world is a Williwonka? It sounds dangerous," he said. At that precise moment Harry spit out some of the juice he was drinking and cracked up laughing, tears forming in his eyes while Hermione sighed and shook her head at them all. The rest of their lunch hour passed pleasantly and soon it was time for them all to split up. Mia and Hermione were set to go to their Ancient Runes class while Harry and Ron had to head up to their Divination class with Professor Trelawny. Since Divination still wasn't his favorite class to take, Harry figured it would another day of listening to Trelawney's fake-mystic tone echoing through the stifling hot and heavily scented classroom, predicting his demise all the while. However, once he and Ron both entered the class, he realized that this wasn't going to be a typical lesson after all, for sitting in a chair close to Professor Trelawney's desk with clipboard in hand was none other than Umbridge herself, smiling sweetly at them all as they came up the ladder. All the cheerful chatter from the students quickly fell silent at the sight of her and they quietly made their way over to their seats. When Trelawney herself finally made her appearance, she offered a somewhat stiff greeting to Umbridge while passing out their _Dream Oracles_ textbook.

"We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," Trelawney announced her voice as well as her hands a little shaky. "Divide into pairs, please, and interpret each other's latest nighttime visions with the aid of the _Oracle._ "

Harry saw Umbridge immediately start making notes on her clipboard once class started, and Professor Trelawney began sweeping the room as students grouped together to discuss their dreams. Harry opened up his textbook and tried to remember his most recent dreams with very little success. The only thing he knew was that they started off similar to nightmares, but there was something that always made them go away. Something that floated just behind his eyelids like snow, followed by a soothing scent. Unfortunately that was all he could remember, but he knew that wasn't going to be good enough for Trelawney, or even Umbridge, who started following Trelawney around after a little while, continuing to take notes while asking the occasional question here and there. Ron advised him to think of something quick before they came over their way, and Harry hastily suggested that he had dreamt about drowning Snape in his cauldron. While Ron handled the calculations of Harry's dream, he listened in on what the two teachers were saying, as they were now within earshot of him. Umbridge asked Trelawney how long she had been teaching at Hogwarts, to which she answered proudly that she had been at the castle almost sixteen years. As the seconds passed, Umbridge asked a few more questions, including one involving Trelawney's relation to the celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney, and how curious it was that Trelawney was the first one in the family since Cassandra to have inherited the second sight. The more she talked, the more visibly nervous Trelawney became, and she wrapped her shawl tighter around herself as if it would protect her. Although her senses came to be on full alert when Umbridge asked for her to make a prediction for her.

"I don't understand you," Trelawney said slowly.

"I'd like you to make a prediction for me," Umbridge said kindly.

"The Inner Eye does not See upon command!" Trelawney said, scandalized.

"I see," Umbridge said gently to herself, scribbling another note onto her clipboard.

"I—but—but—wait," Professor Trelawney said, trying to make her voice take on its usual floaty, dream-like tone as her eyes sharpened upon Umbridge. "I…I think I do see something…something that concerns you. Why, I sense something…something dark! I'm afraid—I'm afraid that you are in grave danger!"

"Right," Umbridge said softly, once again writing in her notes as she turned to head back over towards her seat. "Well, if that's really the best you could do for me…"

Trelawney scowled heavily after Umbridge before whipping around and swooping down on Harry and Ron's table, briskly asking them what they have done for their dream diaries so far. The rest of the class passed by unpleasantly tense, and after stating that Harry's dreams indicated his traumatic death once again, they were finally all free to go. Umbridge left the room first, and Harry was in no hurry to follow her as he gathered his things and took his time upon leaving with Ron.

"Doesn't look like Umbridge was impressed with Trelawney's lessen, eh?" Ron muttered as they made their way down the stairs of the tower. "Although she wasn't really helping her case."

"Could you blame her?" Harry said. "Umbridge has the power to observe and critique teachers, if there's something she doesn't like, she could give a report that can have them sacked. It's enough to make anyone nervous."

"Good thing Hagrid's not here, then," Ron stated. "I'd hate to see what she'd put about his class."

"Harry! Ron!"

The two boys turned around and Harry smiled at the sight of Mia hurrying down the corridor towards them with Hermione not too far behind her, grinning broadly with her ponytail swinging back and forth. When she reached them, she skidded to a halt, her face still beaming as she held out her hands and raised what appeared to be a rough, chipped and bumpy-looking gray slate with faded words in another language on it in front of them as if she had discovered the world's greatest treasure.

"What's with this piece of rock?" Ron asked.

"It's not just a piece of rock!" Mia exclaimed in an almost offensive tone, glaring at him. "It's an ancient slab that has runes on it dating back centuries! This is pure magical history here!"

"It's part of our new project," Hermione explained as she caught up with them. "Professor Babbling took us outside of the school to a large cave on the side of the foundation of the castle, where she hid slabs like this for us to find. She had us divide in pairs and whichever one we found we had to begin research on it. We have to figure out which wizarding culture it originated from, translate the words of the spell on them, and do a report on it. Mia's a bit excited about it."

"A bit?" Ron repeated as Mia was nearly bouncing on her toes in glee.

"Isn't it amazing?" she gushed. "Oh, I can't wait to find out what spell this is, then I can test it out!"

"Not on us!" Harry, Ron and Hermione said together in unison.

"Aw, you guys are no fun," Mia pouted, sticking her bottom lip out. Harry shook his head and placed his arm around Mia's shoulder as they continued their walk down the corridor.

"Maybe we can try it out on Malfoy," he suggested. "Will that make you feel better?"

"Absolutely!" Mia replied, perking up at once. "Thanks, Harry!"

"Mia, you don't even know what that spell will do," Hermione reprimanded.

"That's why Malfoy would make a wonderful test subject," Mia said, a sly grin coming onto her face.

"You're scary when you make that face, you know," Harry pointed out.

"I know," Mia said cheerfully, wrapping her arm free arm around Harry's waist to pull him closer, and he took a sharp but quiet intake of breath when she did. Something stirred strangely in his chest, but he didn't know what it was, and he could feel his cheeks feeling a little warmer than usual. What was his deal? He and Mia have always held each other before, this was nothing new. It was always relaxing, comforting, and so…so natural. As if it was something they could do for the rest of their days and not think twice about it. Yet holding her now against him, feeling her warmth and seeing her delighted expression…it wasn't the same. It was better. _Much better._

By the time they reached their Defense Against the Dark arts class, they found Umbridge sitting at her desk, patiently waiting for them all. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Mia's lovely smile disappear and her arm fell from his waist as she outright glared at the woman, her gaze holding nothing but disgust. Umbridge didn't seem bothered by this, as she simply kept on smiling at them as they took their seats, and he scowled heavily at her. He himself couldn't stand her, and her sugary expression always made a spike of anger erupt in his chest, especially after she gave Mia the detentions that were meant for him after denying the truth of how Cedric died. That alone made his blood boil, and he hated that Mia was made to pay for standing up for him. When they took their seats, Mia sat down next to him while Ron and Hermione sat directly behind them. Ten minutes later, when the rest of the class had showed up, Umbridge greeted them all and instructed them to put their wands away before picking up where they left off last week, and begin reading chapter two of their textbooks silently. She was met with no objections as everyone opened their books and started reading. Everyone, that is, except for Hermione, who raised her hand into the air. Umbridge saw her, and instead of pretending not to notice her, she walked over to Hermione's desk and leaned in, whispering softly so as not to draw attention to the rest of the class.

"What is it this time, Miss Granger?"

"I've already read chapter two," Hermione informed her.

"Well then, proceed to chapter three."

"I've read that, too. I've read the whole book."

"Did you, now?" Umbridge said. "Well then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counterjinxes in chapter fifteen."

"He says that counterjinxes are improperly named," Hermione replied without missing a beat. "He says 'counterjinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable."

At this point Umbridge raised her eyebrows in surprise, and Harry could see the corners of Mia's mouth twitch into half a smirk, practically feeling her pride for Hermione having one on Umbridge rolling off her in waves.

"But I disagree," Hermione went on, speaking clearly so everyone in the room was now paying attention to the conversation. "Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."

"Oh you do, do you?" Umbridge said, her stare turning a bit cold and her gentle smile becoming more tight as she straightened up. "Well I'm afraid that it is Slinkhard's opinion that matters in this class, not yours. Miss Granger, I'm going to be taking five points from Gryffindor."

"What?" Harry said angrily as the rest of the class broke out in shocked mutterings and whispers. "What for?"

"Harry, no!" Mia hissed, taking hold of the sleeve of his robes, her eyes wide.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," Umbridge replied. "I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinions on matters about which they know very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more license, but as none of them—with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects—would have passed a Ministry inspection—"

"Oh yeah, Quirrell was such a great teacher, considering—"

Harry was cut off from the rest of his sentence, for at that moment Mia clutched his shoulder so tightly her nails were digging into his skin and he gave a hiss of pain, turning to look at her in frustration. Yet when he set his eyes on her, he was stunned to see that they were shining in desperation, and she was shaking her head fiercely.

"Mr. Potter, it would be wise for you to cease your constant interruptions in my class," Umbridge said, a warning in her voice as she stared him down. "You and Miss Granger repeatedly talking out of place…"

"Professor," Mia said, quickly, raising her hand high in the air while the other one kept a hold of Harry's shoulder. Her face was set but her voice was calm, steady and unyielding as she looked Umbridge straight in the eye. "I'm sorry, but I do not see them as speaking out of place. Hermione raised her hand like you instructed us to when we need to speak with you so as not to disturb anyone, and Harry is only voicing his objection because Professor Quirrell turned out to be a dangerous man, which could be said by anyone in the school, including Professor Dumbledore himself."

The entire room was dead silent at this point, waiting with baited breath, and Harry was stumped at Mia's actions. Although her response was polite, there was no denying that Mia was challenging Umbridge while once again sticking up for her friends. Umbridge stood almost rigid in her spot, clasping her hands together in front of her so tight Harry thought she was sure to rip her fingers off. After a few more seconds though, her posture became more relaxed and she sighed, her smile growing even wider and her eyes gleaming as she looked at Mia. Harry felt something bad stirring in his stomach and he wanted to curse the old toad for the way she was staring at Mia, like a hunter who's caught a grand prize in their net.

"Be that as it may, Miss Thatcher, I will not have such interruptions in my classroom when it goes against my authority. And it seems that you have not learned your lesson of restraining yourself from encouraging such delinquent behavior from your friends. I am assigning another week's worth of detentions for you, and Mr. Potter, you shall do yet another essay, along with Miss Granger."

"What?!" Harry seethed.

"Professor—" Hermione said.

"This conversation is now finished," Umbridge said sharply, her tone leaving no room for further argument. "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, at the end of class you will both be receiving your essay topics, and Miss Thatcher, I will see you at five o'clock to start your detentions."

Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at Umbridge with the deepest loathing, infuriated at this injustice. This woman was absolutely despicable! Being so crude to Hermione when she was just voicing her opinion on the wretchedly boring book they were forced to read, and having Mia being the only one to receive detention for something she didn't start! It's almost like the toad was giving Mia these detentions just to get under his skin, and even though he hated to admit it, it was working perfectly at the moment. He opened his mouth again, about to demand that she clear Mia from this new round of unfair detentions, but a small hand on his arm stopped him short.

"Harry, please. Don't."

The voice that spoke to him was so soft, quiet, and there was something in it that made him stop from uttering another word. Harry looked over to see Mia gazing at him, and the sight of her made him falter. Her face was calmly blank, but her blue eyes were shining with emotion. They were fierce, yet resigned, defiant and yet accepting, sad, but glad at the same time. It was like she knew what would happen if she spoke out, but went with it anyway. Harry immediately felt guilty and his shame washed over him in waves. People had warned him about losing his temper with Umbridge, but he let her get to him, and now Mia was being made to suffer the consequences again. With everything going on right now, this was the last thing Mia needed on her plate. The rest of class passed silently as they continued reading from their books, or in Hermione's case, taking notes from it as a way to pass the time. Umbridge took a seat at her desk and watched over them all the entire time, like a hawk watching its prey. Once the bell finally sounded, everyone couldn't get out of there fast enough. Mia was quiet as she packed up her things, not really making eye contact with anyone, only increasing Harry's guilt. Was she mad at him? He wouldn't blame her if she was. She only just got through with her first week of detentions and now thanks to him not being able to keep his mouth shut once again, she has to do it all over again.

"That sniveling old gargoyle!" Hermione hissed after they left the class. "How could she do this?"

"Why is she only giving you detentions?" Ron said to Mia, glancing over his shoulder with an expression that looked as if he wanted to run back and jinx the pink-clad woman. "What's she got against you?"

"It's me," Harry interjected in a low voice. "You guys are my friends and you stick up for me. She knows that it'll just get my boiling if you guys suffer because of me, and she's hoping it'll keep me quiet and obedient. Mia, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper again. I didn't mean for you to get in trouble again."

"Don't worry about it, Harry," Mia muttered as she looked over to face him. "I'm as much to blame. And don't ever apologize for standing up as well. She was being petty towards Hermione, and you stood by her. I'm just sorry she gave you guys extra work, that's the last thing any of us need right now."

"But at least you'll only have to do lines," Hermione tried putting in encouragingly. "That's what she had you doing last time, right?"

"Yeah…yeah, just lines," Mia replied softly with a smile that didn't look quite right to Harry. He has seen Mia smile, so brightly and so beautifully it made her whole face shine. This one was sad, half-hearted, and, unless he was imagining it, foreboding.

"Mia, is something wrong?" Harry asked.

"What? Of course not," Mia replied. "I'm just wishing our Hogsmeade trip would come sooner, it would be nice to get away and have a break from everything, wouldn't it?"

No, that wasn't it. Harry could feel that something was bothering her, but before he could have a chance to ask what it was, Mia suggested they hurry up if they wanted to make it to their Charms lesson on time, and started walking a bit faster.

Fortunately, later on in the day, they felt as though they had received some form of revenge when they went to their Transfiguration lesson. As it turns out, Umbridge was there to observe Professor McGonagall, and the moment he sat down, Harry was excited to see her get exactly what she deserved. His wish was indeed fulfilled, for once McGonagall entered the class, it was obvious that she was not going to take anything that Umbridge was going to throw at her. As Professor McGonagall started the class, Umbridge tried interrupting twice to have her input, but there was no way the elderly Transfiguration teacher was having any of that. She briskly stated in cold fury that she could not possibly give Umbridge an insight to her teaching methods if she is constantly interrupted. That shut Umbridge up right away, which made the whole class positively gleeful. After that, Umbridge didn't dare follow McGonagall around like she had done to Trelawney, but she scribbling many notes furiously on her clipboard, and when class was over, she only asked a couple more questions before taking her leave.

However, their little victory was short lived as they went to one of their last classes of the day, Care of Magical Creatures, to see that Umbridge was there as well. Harry himself was nervous, seeing as Umbridge was sure to inquire about Hagrid's absence since she supposedly had a particularly distaste for half-breeds. She went around interrogating students about how class normally is with Hagrid, and once she got to Malfoy, Harry nearly lost it once again. The arrogant blonde made some snide remarks, speaking of how incompetent Hagrid was, and how it was his fault that he got attacked by a Hippogriff in third year. Harry was about to snap back, but after one look at Mia's pleading face, he remained quiet and just glared at them, balling his hand into a fist so tight he was sure his nails almost pierced his skin. Either way, Umbridge seemed satisfied with Grubbly-Plank, and was smiling as she walked away back towards the castle, still writing on her clipboard.

Finally, it was the end of the day, but it wasn't much better because even though they were on their way to dinner, Harry knew that Mia had to hurry and eat quickly so she could make her detention.

"Come on guys, cheer up," Mia said as they took their seats at their house table. "I did this before, I can do it again."

"Mia, you still have so much work to do," Hermione said. "What if she keeps you late again?"

"Then I'll just have to stay up for a while and get it done," Mia replied with a shrug.

"Don't act so indifferent about it," Harry said. "You were exhausted last week."

"And I'll have many more exhausting nights ahead of me, with or without detention," Mia stated, pulling some beef and noodles towards her plate. "There's no use complaining about it."

"Doesn't mean we have to like it," Ron said. "I could always ask Fred and George to slip her poison."

"I appreciate it Ron, but the last thing I need is for you to get expelled," Mia declined with a smile. "Your mother will hide pieces of your body where we can't find them."

"Thanks for that image," Ron grumbled.

"No problem," Mia giggled, stuffing some bread into her mouth. All too soon, it was time for them to say goodbye to Mia, and Harry watched sadly as she left the Great Hall, the guilt in his chest never lifting.

"That foul woman," Hermione said, her eyes narrowing in her anger. "She's absolutely awful."

"Hear, hear," Ron agreed. "But what can we do?"

"I'm not sure, but we can't just do nothing," Hermione sighed, furrowing her eyebrows as she went into deep thought. "There has to be some way…"

"Unless we get another teacher, I doubt it, Hermione," Harry put in moodily. "Umbridge is here to stay, if Fudge has anything to say about it."

All of a sudden, Hermione snapped her head in his direction, her eyes going wide and her mouth slightly agape, as if lightning had struck her senseless. She stared at Harry as if seeing him in a brand new light, her fork hanging limply between her fingers.

"Hermione? Hello?" Ron said, trying to wave his hand in front of her. "Did you break her?"

"Another teacher," Hermione whispered finally, staring at Harry for a few more seconds until a grin started making its way onto her face, very similar to that of a Cheshire cat, and her eyes glinted.

"Oh no," Ron said. "Not that look…"

"Harry Potter, I have a proposition for you," Hermione said.

"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like it?" Harry said slowly and cautiously.

"You're right, we do need someone to teach us," she said in a low voice that was breathless from excitement. "And I have the perfect person in mind."

…...

"Hermione, have you gone completely mad?!"

"I'm still trying to figure that one out myself, mate."

"It's not funny, Ron!"

"She does have a point though."

"Thank you, Ron."

"Will you two just listen?!"

Harry stood in front of his two friends, glowering in annoyance at the both of them, trying to make them understand why this idea was not going to work. It was very late at night, and the common room dark except for the light coming from a couple flaming torches and the fireplace. Hermione had wanted to wait until they had some privacy, so they patiently waited until everyone had left to go up to bed, which was fine with them because they had wanted to wait for Mia to get done her detention anyway. But once Hermione told them her idea, Harry thought she had actually gone bonkers.

"No Harry, _you_ need to listen," Hermione pressed on, her face alight with the same glow that S.P.E.W usually gave her, passion coating every word she spoke. "It's like you said in Umbridge's first lesson, this goes beyond just learning something out of books! We need to actually prepare ourselves for what's out there, learn how to properly defend ourselves. If we learn nothing for an entire year, that we will not only fail our O.W.L's, but we'll be too vulnerable for what's waiting beyond these walls. We've got to be able to defend ourselves, and if Umbridge refuses to teach us how, then we need someone who will. And that someone is you, Harry."

"I'm not a teacher, Hermione," Harry protested.

"You are the best in our year in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione argued. "You beat me in third year, along with everyone else, and under proper instruction, you out beat everyone. Besides, I'm not just talking about test results, Harry. Think about all that you've done!"

"What do you mean?" Harry said.

"You know what, I don't think I want someone this daft teaching me," Ron snickered before pretending to be deep in thought. "Let's see, you saved the Sorcerer's Stone in first year—"

"That was just luck, not skill—"

"You killed the Basilisk in second year—"

"If Fawkes hadn't shown up with the hat, I would've been dead—"

"You fought off about a hundred Dementors in third year—"

"That was just a fluke with the Time Turner—"

"You fought off against You-Know-Who last year—"

"And Cedric died because of it!" Harry exclaimed loudly, glowering at the two of them and making Ron fall silent. "It's all great when you put it like that, but that's not what it's like at all! You have _no idea_ what it's like! Most of it was pure luck that I got out of it alive, I blundered through it all, and I almost always had help! This isn't like school, where all you have to worry about is memorizing spells from books, and knowing that if you don't get it right you can always try again tomorrow. Out there, facing _him_ , there is no trying again tomorrow! If you don't follow your brain or your guts, you will die! No if, ands, or buts about it! In real life, when you know that your seconds away from being murdered, or tortured, or—or seeing a friend die before your eyes…that's something you cannot learn in school. You think I'm some sort of hero or something, standing here alive after all of that when Cedric was unfortunate enough to be with me that night? You—you can't understand…"

"And that's exactly why we need you."

The new voice startled them all, and Harry turned around quickly to see that Mia had returned, standing just inside of the portrait hole, her school bag on her shoulder, looking tired but resolute as she stood there, gazing at Harry with a sort of fire he's hardly ever seen.

"Mia," Harry said, deflating a bit from his tirade. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," she answered, walking further into the common room. "Harry, everything you said, that is the very reason why we need you to teach us. None of us can ever hope to understand all the horrible things you've experienced in the past, the horrors I can still see in your eyes sometimes. All the things you've done, you weren't taking a test or practicing for an exam—your life was on the line, and I can't stand thinking about all the times when I—when _we_ could have lost you. You're right, real life is nothing like school, but unfortunately, none of us know that or have any experience with it. We don't know what it's like to face death on any occasion, or seeing someone we love hurt, or putting our lives on the line just to survive. But you do. You're the only one who can truly prepare us for the dangers that are out there, to not go easy on us, and prepare us for the day when we have to fight."

"She's right, Harry," Hermione muttered quietly. "Right now you're our only hope of having any chance against…V-Voldemort."

This was the very first time Hermione had said Voldemort's name, and Harry's admiration for Hermione grew ten-fold. There was a moment of silence as all of his friends stared at him, and he eventually sighed, running a hand through his hair in contemplation.

"I'll—I'll think about it, okay?" he said. That seemed to be a good enough answer for them, because Hermione nodded at him with a small smile before standing to her feet and bidding them all goodnight.

"Are you coming, Mia?" she asked.

"I'll be up later, Mione," Mia replied, gesturing towards her bag. "I have some work to do, first."

"All right, just don't be too late," Hermione said sadly. "I'll help you finish tomorrow morning if you need me."

Mia smiled back and thanked Hermione before she disappeared up the staircase. Ron followed shortly after, and asked Harry if he was coming along. Harry looked over at Mia as she placed her things down on a nearby table to get started on her work. Making up his mind, he told ron that he'd be up later as well and then went over to join Mia at the table.

"Harry, what are you doing?" she said as he took a seat. "It's after midnight, you need to get some sleep."

"So do you," he pointed out. "But it's my fault that you need to stay up late in order to finish your work, so I'm going to help you get through it. With two of us working, it should go by quicker."

"Harry, you don't have to, you have your own work to worry about, and you have Quidditch practice tomorrow as well," Mia said.

"You help me all the time, Mia, now it's my turn to help you," Harry stated firmly, taking two of her books and pulling them towards him. "Now, what are we going to start with, Charms or History of Magic?"

Mia just stared at him for a moment before sighing and giving him a tired smile as she took her seat.

"You're too good of a person, Harry," she said, a tender softness in her voice. "Charms it is."

Harry nodded and then the two of them got started on what was sure to be a long night.

…

Sure enough, a few weeks later, in the early days of October, Harry found himself walking down to Hogsmeade with Ron, Hermione, and Mia towards the first official 'meeting' of their new defense group. After Hermione had put in the suggestion, Harry had been thinking over it a lot, and while it seemed like a crazy idea, at the same time it made complete sense. There was so much danger out there, and while Voldemort was laying low with his followers, Harry knew it wouldn't stay like that forever. Everyone would have to take a stand and defend themselves, his friends, his enemies, everyone. And while he didn't think himself much of a teacher, he knew that something had to be better than what they were learning now.

Therefore, he had agreed to leading this new defense group, and Hermione was absolutely delighted. She told Harry that she would spread the word to those she believed would be interested in hearing him out and considering him teaching them, and that they would meet the first weekend visit in Hogsmeade at the Hog's Head.

"I'm not sure about that, Hermione," Mia had said in concern. "It's a bit of a dodgy place, isn't it? Wouldn't the Three Broomsticks be better?"

"It's too crowded in there," Hermione explained. "And I'm sure not many students go to the Hog's Head, so it's more likely that we won't be overheard."

Harry himself had never been to the Hog's Head, although he had heard Hagrid talk about it before. The made their way through the main square of the village, passing by all the people as they went about their daily routine and all the students who were making their way in and out of the shops, especially the more popular ones such as Zonko's Joke Shop and Honeydukes, the famous candy store. Since it was the early stages of Fall, the air had a nice, cool crisp feeling to it, perfect for a light jumper and maybe a scarf to protect your face from the wind. The trees were already starting to change color, and that certain harvest smell the season usually brings started making its appearance. As they traveled further into the village, they eventually left the main road, and soon enough, they came upon an old, run-down looking building with a creaking wooden sign hanging above the door, with the image of a severed Hog' Head on it, with blood leaking onto the white cloth underneath it.

"Lovely spot," Mia noted lightly.

"Maybe it's nicer on the inside," Hermione said, walking forward to lead them into the pub. However, from the second they stepped inside, Harry understood why this place was not so popular with the residents. The bar room was very small compared to the one at the Three Broomsticks, along with being cold and dingy, with old-looking furniture, dusty tables, grime-coated windows, cobwebs up in the rafters, dirty drinking glasses, and a putrid smell that stung Harry's nose the moment they entered. There were very people here, which included a man with many bandages wrapped around his head, a woman wearing a long black veil in the corner, and two cloaked wizards who looked more like Dementors huddled at a table on the far right.

"Okay, next time I'm picking the meeting place," Mia said, frowning and burying herself further into her scarf.

"Come on, we might as well sit, before the others come," Ron said. The four of them ordered some Butterbeer from the bartender, an elder man with a grim, wrinkled face, a long gray beard, and rough, calloused hands that showed years of hard labor. After that they took their seats at a table at the far end of the room, away from the other customers.

"How many are supposed to come?" Harry asked, knowing that Mia, Ron and Hermione had made work of spreading the news.

"Just a couple people," Hermione replied smoothly. No sooner had she spoken then the door to the pub opened once again, and the next thing they knew, there was a huge crowd of people clamoring inside, and Harry felt his stomach drop. There was Dean, Neville, Lavender (to Mia's disgust and anger by the look on her face), Parvati and her sister, Padma, along with—Harry felt his heart skip a beat—Cho Chang with one of her own friends, Luna Lovegood, wearing her usual dreamy expression, Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie MacMillian, Justin Finch-Fletchy, Hannah Abbott, two Hufflepuffs that Harry didn't know, Alex Parker with two of his freinds, Lucy Cannon, Jenna Sterling and her brother, Derrick, Ginny, three Ravenclaw boys, and last but not least, Fred and George with Lee trailing in behind them. Harry's mouth dropped open a bit at the sight of everybody, and he turned his head over towards Mia, who immediately put her hands up in defense.

"Hey, don't look at me!" she said. "I only told Lucy, Alex, Jenna and Neville. The rest was all Hermione."

"I think we need to establish your idea of a couple people, Hermione," Harry croaked out weakly.

"Well, the idea was rather popular," Hermione said, slightly sheepish.

"You're telling me," Mia muttered. "We're going to need some more buttterbeers."

Once everyone had paid for their butterbeers, they all took a seat around Harry, Mia, Ron and Hermione, pushing tables together and clumping chairs around each other. While everyone was getting settled, Harry saw Luna come over and take a seat on Mia's left hand side, giving her a gentle, kind smile.

"Hello Mia," she greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine thank you, Luna. How are you?"

"I'm quite well, thank you. Here, I brought this for you, it's a protective charm that's made from the teeth of a Krampa."

Luna held up a strange object hanging from a leather cord, dark brown in color and looking similar to a rabbit's foot, only it was more smooth like ivory, with violet designs painted on it, and looking like a moldy rock. Mia looked a bit apprehensive, but took the gift anyway, offering her thanks. When everyone was finally settled, they all quieted down and looked expectantly at Harry, who suddenly became red in the face and his throat felt extremely dry all of a sudden. What exactly was he supposed to say? Thankfully he was saved from having to make a welcome speech by Hermione, who stood to her feet and gave a shy smile at them all.

"Er—well—hi. Well, um, you know why we're all here. "Harry had the idea—I mean, _I_ had the idea," she corrected after seeing the sharp look Harry threw at her. "That it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts—and I mean really study it, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us, because nobody can call that a proper Defense class, well I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands. And by that I mean learning to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells. And this is also more than just wanting to be better prepared for O.W.L exams, or any of our other finals. We need to do this because…because…Lord Voldemort is back, and we need to learn how to defend ourselves. Well, that's the plan anyway, if you join us, we need to decide how we're going to—"

"Where's the proof that You-Know-Who is back?" said the one blonde haired Hufflepuff boy.

"Well, Dumbledore believes it—"

"You mean Dumbledore believes _him_ ," the boy said, nodding towards Harry.

"And who are you?" Ron asked snidely while Mia scowled heavily, and Harry could feel her shift a little closer to him.

"Zacharias Smith, and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."

"Oh gee, I don't know, maybe Harry became bored one day and just decided to have a little fun by spreading fear into everyone's hearts and attempt to put the entire wizarding world on lockdown," Mia answered, sarcasm coating her tone in layers. "He has a rather dark sense of humor, you know."

"Mia, you're not helping," Hermione muttered. "That's not what we're here for…"

"Voldemort is back because I _saw_ him come back," Harry ground out, his eyes narrowing. "Dumbledore told the entire school what happened last year and if you didn't believe him, you don't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone."

"All he told us was that Cedric was killed by You-Know-Who," Lavender said aggressively, glaring at Harry. "He never gave any details—"

"Details?" Mia intercepted incredulously. "Are you telling me you want details of how Voldemort murders someone?"

"I wasn't talking to you, Mia!" Lavender snapped.

"I'm about to make sure you stop talking permanently," Mia snarled. "Who invited you, anyway?"

"Mia," Hermione groaned in exasperation.

"Look, I'm not here to talk about Cedric, so if that's all you're here for then you might as well clear out now!" Harry said angrily. There was silence after Harry spoke, and he glared around at them all, daring anyone else to ask him about that night. He tried his best not to think about that night, how he and Cedric arrived at the graveyard, how he had been killed just because he was there, and how Harry risked everything to make sure he brought his dead body back to his parents. The only person he had told about this in full detail was Mia, and he wasn't planning on telling anyone else anytime soon. About a minute passed in silence but no one rose from their seats. One girl with a long plait down her back, who turned out to be Susan Bones, niece of Amelia Bones, asked if it was true that Harry could produce a corporeal patronus. He confirmed that he could, which immediately caught the interest of everyone else. At that moment more people started asking about some of the other things he did, including killing the Basilisk and fighting through a bunch of spells and enchantments to protect the Sorcerer's Stone, all of which Harry confirmed was true. His face quickly became red at all the attention he was suddenly receiving, especially from Cho, who was looking at him in adoration. He modestly tried to ride it off but everyone pointed out things that he did completely on his own as well, such as handling the Dementors this past summer and the dragons in the tournament. Zacharias Smith started making his crude comments again, but soon fell silent when Fred and George pulled out a long, lethal looking instrument and threatened to stick it somewhere very unpleasant.

"Right well, at this point can we all say we want to learn from Harry?" Hermione asked hastily, probably knowing that the twins would follow through on their threat with great pleasure. To Harry's surprise, there was a murmur of agreement all around, and no one had any objections to it. The discussion then moved on to when they would have the meetings, which everyone agreed to having once a week, at least, and it could be varied as to which day for every week when the time came. Ideas were then thrown around for where they could have these lessons, but none of them seemed fitting—Madame Pince would skin them alive if any of her books got ruined, the Forbidden Forest was too dangerous, and an unused classroom could never guarantee privacy. Deciding to figure out the location at a later time, Hermione had everyone sign their name on a piece of parchment, so they knew who all was there, and to have them prove that they would never tell anyone what they were up to, similar to signing a contract. Once everyone had signed, the meeting was adjourned, and everyone took their leave. In the midst of their leaving, Harry saw Luna approach Mia once again out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh Mia I forgot, about that charm, make sure you hold it to the injured area, so you keep it in your left hand, okay?" she said softly in her dreamlike voice.

"Okay, thanks Luna," Mia said equally as soft, a true appreciative smile on her face.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Harry asked.

"I fell asleep on it the wrong way, the muscles have been hurting a little all day," Mia told him. "I guess Luna thought that this would help."

"Well I'd say that went rather well," Hermione said cheerfully when she, Harry, Mia and Ron were the only ones left.

"Except for Zacharias and Lavender," Mia said sourly. "I can't believe she even turned up!"

"Parvati probably convinced her to come, more than likely," Ron pointed out.

"Well she better keep her mouth shut or so help me I'll…"

Mia trailed off, but Harry and the others didn't need her to finish, for the blazing fire in her eyes said everything she was feeling towards their fellow Gryffindor.

"I think a good number of them were convinced to come by their friends," Hermione stated thoughtfully as they left the Hog's Head and made their way outside. "I mean that one Ravenclaw boy, Michael Corner, I doubt he and his friends would have come if he hadn't been going out with Ginny—"

"He's WHAT?!" Ron yelled, snapping his head towards Hermione, his eyes going wide and a vicious growl in his throat. "She's going out with—my sister's—how could—"

"Ron, breathe, you face is all red," Mia said, her own anger dissolving, and she was biting her lip trying not to laugh.

"Did you know?" Harry asked her in amusement.

"Of course, but not for long though," Mia replied. "Ginny told me when we were at the Burrow this past summer, they met at the Yule Ball last year and hit it off."

"Nobody's hitting anything!" Ron objected heatedly. "Which one was Michael Corner?"

"And this is why Ginny never tells you anything," Mia giggled while Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron relax, she's fourteen years old, it's normal for her to be interest in someone by now."

"But she's too young to date!" Ron said.

"She's only a year younger than us, and she's smart, she knows how to handle herself," Mia said. Ron continued to mutter savagely under his breath while Mia turned her attention to Harry.

"So, are you excited for your first lesson?" she asked.

"Not sure, Harry said honestly. "I don't even know where to start."

"Try something simple at first, even the most common spells can save your life," Mia suggested. "Then just take everything you know and put it into teaching. I just hope you give us a lesson on how to conjure a patronus sometime, though."

"That's really advanced though," Harry reminded her.

"You managed to do it."

"Yeah, after a lot of failed attempts."

"Yet those failures prompted you to keep trying," Mia said with a smile. "Don't worry Professor Potter, you're going to do great."

"Urgh, don't call me that…"

"Why not? I think it's kind of catchy," Mia said, a thoughtful look coming onto her face. "Unless you would rather be called Professor Hawwy-bear, because that's fine with me."

"Don't you dare, Mia!" Harry exclaimed in horror, his face going red at the thought of Mia calling him that in front of everyone.

"Professor Hawwy-Bear Potter," Mia mused, a devilish smile coming across her face. "Yes, I like that a lot."

" _Mia!"_

Harry made a move to grab her, but the sneaky brunette just ducked under his arms and ran off ahead of them, laughing merrily.

"Hawwy-bear, Hawwy-bear, Hawwy-bear," she sang.

 _Oh, she's done for!_ Harry took off after her, and Mia shrieked as she sprinted away down the main road.

…

A couple of days later, Harry was returning to the common room, a little dirty and tired after a last minute Quidditch practice that Angelina had thrust upon them that morning. Wanting to have the pitch to themselves for a few extra hours, she told the whole team to meet together at the Quidditch pitch right after lunch so they could have a good few hours of practice before dinner. Ron still had some confidence issues when they had an audience, but was doing very well overall when they had their privacy. Angelina worked them hard today, having them try out new moves that she was sure the other teams wouldn't expect, and by the time they were done, they were all sweaty, tired, and aching for the food they had burned off from lunch. Once they made their way up to the castle, Harry told the others he would meet up with them soon, wanting to go place his Firebolt back up in his dormitory before heading down for dinner, and maybe even to grab a quick shower. By the time he reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady, he was picturing the delicious pot roast that was probably downstairs, with glazed carrots, steaming hot rolls, and chocolate pudding for dessert. His stomach grumbling at the thought, he hurriedly gave the password before entering the common room, although he stopped short when he went in.

The common room was empty, with everyone more than likely having gone down to dinner already, except for Mia, who was fast asleep on the loveseat, her feet curled up underneath her with a heavy textbook on her lap and her head resting on her arm. Harry stared at her for a moment before fondly shaking his head, smiling. Mia was probably doing homework earlier and fell asleep in front of the fire, the coziest spot in the tower. He really couldn't blame her, they still had piles of work to take care of each day, and even if Mia and Hermione were on top of it more than he and Ron, it was still a lot to handle. Never before had they needed to make so many charts, take so many notes, read this many chapters, and practice their spells to this extent. Harry really didn't want to bother her, but he knew that she needed to eat, so he decided to hurry up and take a shower before coming back down to wake her up. He went upstairs to his dorm to put his Firebolt away and about fifteen minutes later, he came back downstairs to see that Mia hasn't moved an inch. He came over to stand in front of her, but just as he was about to wake her, he paused for a moment.

Mia really did look so peaceful when she slept, her mouth open ever so slightly, and her hair always in her face. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and Harry could see the necklace he had given her lying loosely around her neck, just barely touching the pages of the textbook. The air outside was starting to get a bit cold, so Mia was wearing one of the sweaters Mrs. Weasley had made for her, this one a dark red color with flowers designed along the hem and collar. Somewhere in his head, Harry couldn't help but think that Mia looked very pretty in this shade of red. As he continued to gaze at her, he saw that there were many things that made Mia pretty. She didn't need any makeup, no matter how many times other girls had tried to get her to wear it more often, there was something natural about her that didn't need any improvements. She had a kindness that could blow people away, and such compassion, especially for those she loved. Once Mia decided you're family, that was that. It was the same thing she did for him, all those years ago when they met. She was the first person to show him such kindness and love, he didn't know what to think. She's so incredibly smart, smart enough to make him see his potential most times, and she most definitely had the bravery that would make Godric Gryffindor himself proud to have her in his house, Harry was sure of it.

Harry once again felt such a strange sensation in his chest as well as his stomach, and for reasons unknown to him, his heart started to pick up its pace a bit. His hands felt clammy, despite having just been in the shower, and his breathing was somehow more shallow. His attention was drawn to the stray curl that rested against Mia's cheek and he was once again tempted to tuck it behind her ear. With every logical part of his brain screaming at him, Harry slowly bent down a little, reached out his hand, and took the curl between his fingers, gently placing it behind her ear so it wasn't bothering her. This caused Mia to shift slightly where she sat, humming softly in her sleep. Harry quickly withdrew his hand, shocked at what he had done, and his heart seemed to burst. A clear revolution filtered across his mind, and his eyes went wide as he gasped softly, feeling as though a wrecking ball had sent him flying with full force. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Harry reached out again, this time taking Mia's shoulder and shaking it.

"Mia," he croaked hoarsely before clearing his throat. "Mia…"

Mia stirred again before her eyes slowly fluttered open and Harry was struck by the girl's intense, emotional and lovely deep blue eyes that gleamed in happiness most times. As soon as her gorggy brain registered who was standing before her, a smile came upon her face. It was that smile that hit Harry senseless, and it was like everything he knew was wiped clean from his mind, and his heart went from going a million miles a second to ceasing to move in the blink of an eye.

"Harry?" she mumbled sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, I—uh, you fell asleep," he stuttered, cursing the fact that he could feel his cheeks turn slightly red. "I didn't want you to miss dinner."

"Dinner? Oh, blast it all," she groaned, raising her head from her arm and rubbing at her eyes. "I can't believe I did it again. I swear, I'm sleeping for a week straight once we're done with our O.W.L's."

Harry nodded wordlessly at her, completely speechless as the crazy feelings were billowing through him.

"Harry? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," Mia said, her smile turning into a concerned frown.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm alright," Harry replied, giving himself a little shake. "Just a bit tired, that's all. We should probably get going though."

"All right," Mia said, standing to her feet and placing a hand on his arm. "Maybe you should go to bed early, get a good night's sleep, since we're seeing our favorite teacher's tomorrow. Let me just put this book back upstairs, then we'll head down together."

"Sounds good," Harry said. Mia gave him another smile before turning around and heading up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. Once she was gone, Harry took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, trying to control his heart, which was back at full speed. He was desperately trying to make sense of his feelings, although deep down he knew what they meant. Right now, when she smiled at him, he had the strongest urge to just hold her in his arms, to breathe in her perfume, and…and…

 _I wanted to kiss her…just like before…_

Harry stood rooted to the spot, his face becoming blank and his limbs feeling awfully heavy. No, no, no, this couldn't be! He and Mia had been friends since they were children, she was like a sister to him—wasn't she? She cared for him like no one else did, stuck by him through everything, and was there for him from the start, never leaving his side and changing his life in so many good ways. Incredible ways. This had to be some sort of mistake. There was absolutely, positively, undeniably no way that he was falling for his best friend…right?

 **Read and review, please. ;)**


	11. Dreams and Nightmares

**Hi there everyone! Well, here it is, chapter eleven, after so very long of waiting patiently. I'm sorry for the delay in updating, I know I said I'd have this up by Friday (or was it Saturday) but this week was extremely long and rough, considering I haven't been feeling well at all for the majority of it. So as of right now, I'm going to say that my updates will be sometime on Sundays, although I can't say exactly when. I'm going with Sundays because that's when I have day shift at work and have the most time to revise and edit before submitting new chapters. Chapter fourteen still needs to be finished but I only have another page or two to go for that, which is why I feel ready to post this one.**

 **Once that is taken care of, I will start on chapter fifteen as soon as possible, that way I can keep up with this weekly update now that I have a pretty decent head start. As always, if there are any questions or comments, please feel free to share with me, and please leave a review! You all know I love them very much, and I love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. I hope you will find this chapter worth the wait and if it's not that good, just remember there will be another in a week. Thank you all so much for your patience, and I will see you all in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Update: Okay guys, this chapter was originally supposed to be posted last night but for whatever reason it will not let me. It keeps saying "error" and I have tried everything I can think of, uploading from my laptop, phone, putting my AN back up and adding onto them, but NOTHING is working! This right here is a cop and paste move, which is why details such as italics and other things are not here, but I'd this works and actually goes through I will fix all of that at a later date.**

 **Look, I know I keep apologizing for the long updates and I know I am late in putting up this chapter but I just want to say that it was never a guarantee that I would have it up, and ever since yesterday I have been trying to put this up but there are some who is getting impatient and while I do understand and apologia for that please try to understand thatI am not privileged to having a lot of free time to work on this. Life gets in the way, something I'm sure we can all relate to, but this week was particularly hard considering I was sick for most of it and this was the first time dealing with a loved one's passing since their birthday was on Friday.**

 **Again, I am sorry but I try my best with these stories, and I let people know from the start that updates will be slow, which is more than others because there have been stories I fell in love with but suddenly stopped and haven't heard anything from in years. I do not intend to do that, I made a promise, but I don't like feeling pressured (although this time I did kinda deserve it). I love all you guys, and I'm hoping this goes through all right.**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Eleven: Dreams and Nightmares

MPOV

 _"And see this here? This is the Kusala herb, it's more commonly found in Asia, more specifically in China. They used the herb a lot in ancient times in their ceremonies, usually in marriage or the crowning of a new emperor or village chief."_

 _"But why this herb?" Harry asked. He and Mia were currently sitting in the common room late at night doing their work, going over their Herbology assignment for Professor Sprout. It was just after midnight and everyone else had already gone upstairs to bed, so it was just the two of them at the moment, sitting at a corner table with a circular wall of books surrounding them, and rolls of parchment underneath their fingers, which were slightly stained with ink from all the writing they had been doing. Ever since Mia's first round of detentions with Umbridge, staying up late at night together doing their work became something of a routine for them. Mia would never admit it out loud, but she took joy in these late night sessions with Harry. Just being able to spend some time alone with him made her happy despite how much she wanted to forget her feelings for him._

 _"It's because the Kusala is believed to bring good fortune and will to those who are blessed with it in the ceremonies," Mia explained. "For a future leader or engaged couple, it's something highly valued."_

 _"So that's what makes it different from the Vili plant, right? That one's used for medical purposes and it grows on the banks of rivers, while the Kusala grows on mountain ridges," Harry said._

 _"Yes," Mia confirmed with a smile. "See, you're not so bad for a scrawny git."_

 _"Oh shut up," Harry said, grabbing a nearby rolled up piece of parchment and flinging it in her direction, making her laugh. There was a moment of silence before Mia spoke again._

 _"Any ideas on where to have our next meeting?" she asked quietly, even though they were the only ones in the common room._

 _"Not yet," Harry sighed, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. "And that new decree isn't making things easy, either."_

 _Mia frowned at this, knowing he was right about that. After meeting up with everyone at the Hog's Head, the euphoria at having officially established their own illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts club was quickly dashed mere days afterwards. One morning as Mia and the others were walking through the common room to head down to breakfast in the Great Hall, they found a notice pinned to the board that covered over most of the others, written in big black letters, making it quite clear to read. It stated that, by order of the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, no student organizations, societies, teams, groups, or clubs were to take place and were furthermore disbanded. Mia could hardly believe it when she saw the notice, her mouth dropping open. How could this happen? She knew deep down that this was no mere coincidence, but that means that Umbridge must have found out somehow about their meeting, although she couldn't understand how. The boys had been just as stumped as her, and when Ron suggested that one of the students who came to the meeting might have betrayed them and tipped off Umbridge, Hermione told them that more than likely, that wasn't the case._

 _"What makes you say that?" Harry had asked them._

 _"Because Hermione is an absolute genius," Mia had replied with a grin. "She came up with a plan that would let us know if anyone in the group turned on us and blabbed. You remember that parchment we all signed? Well, I put a special jinx on it so that if anyone did tell Umbridge, they would most definitely regret it."_

 _"Do we want to know what you did to it?" Ron asked apprehensively._

 _"Let's just say that it's not going to be pretty," Mia stated matter-of-factly, taking amusement at the way Harry and Ron's faces lost a bit of their color. Even though she was certain that no one in their group had went blabbing to anyone, Mia knew that now having Umbridge suspicious to any secret group activities was going to make things difficult. Wherever they decided to hold their meetings, it was going to have to be somewhere that was adequate for their training needs as well as keeping their actions undetected. It was apparent that all the other houses received the notice too, because there were hushed whispers and an intensity in the air during mealtimes. Members of the new group tried to approach Mia, Harry, Hermione and Ron to ask about what to do, but Hermione immediately put a stop to it—if they all gathered together in the open like that it would look too suspicious. Hermione frantically but discreetly waved away Hannah and Ernie, Ginny went over to speak with Michael Corner and his friends before they could leave the Ravenclaw table, and Mia walked over to meet with Jenna and Lucy in the middle of the isle, pretending to return a borrowed book, while quietly informing them that they would still have another meeting, and they would let them know where and when soon._

 _"This year seems to be nothing but rotten luck so far," Mia said, scratching out a sentence in her essay. "I mean, with us trying to find a new place, Angelina having to appeal to Umbridge to allow you guys to play Quidditch, and what happened with Snuffles…"_

 _"You really think he's safe?" Harry said, and Mia could see the concern shining in his eyes._

 _"I'm positive," Mia said with confidence. "If she had really known he was there or caught him, we would've known."_

 _Harry still looked unsure and Mia could understand why. Last week, Sirius had written to Harry saying to meet him at the same place and same time as when they had last spoken. However, upon delivery, Mia and the others saw that Hedwig had been attacked by something, because her feathers were roughly ruffled and her one wing was held at an odd angle. They managed to take Hedwig to Professor Grubbly-Plank to have her looked over, and that night they had met with Sirius in the fireplace. To their shock, Sirius knew about their plans for a secret defense group, and he was rather excited about it. It turns out that Mundungus Fletcher was disguised as the witch with the veil in the Hog's Head that day and reported their meeting back to the Order. They talked with Sirius for a short while, and he was even coming up with some ideas with places to meet at, but their conversation was cut drastically short. Sirius' head disappeared from the fire mere seconds before a small, plump hand garnished in rings and pink nails reached out of the fire, grasping the place where Sirius' head used to be._

 _Having Umbridge's hand sticking out of the fire was frightening to say the least, and it was later deducted that the old toad had to have attacked Hedwig and read the letter. How else could she have known that they were meeting with Sirius that night? The idea had infuriated Harry, with good reason too. If anyone had attacked Sapphire, Mia would not hesitate in cursing them out of anger. But now with that very close call, Harry had been on edge when it came to his godfather, and Mia sometimes found herself shaking her head._

 _Oh Sirius, if only you truly knew how much Harry cares for you. Wanting to take his mind of it, Mia offered Harry some Jelly Slugs, smiling._

 _"Just don't tell Hermione I fed you sweets after bedtime," she whispered with a wink._

 _"Your secret's safe with me," Harry chuckled, reaching over to take the slugs from her. When his hand brushed against hers, Mia suddenly felt an odd tingling sensation that made a brief feeling of giddiness erupt in her stomach and it took her a few seconds to remember how to breathe properly. For one moment Mia wondered if maybe Harry felt it too…_

 _"Your face is all red, Mia," Harry said slowly, staring at her._

 _"Is it?" Mia said, touching her cheek in surprise. "I-I guess maybe I feel a little warm."_

 _Avoiding Harry's eyes, Mia bent her head back over her essay, letting some of her hair fall into her face to try and conceal her blush._

 _"When is the next Quidditch practice?" she asked, looking for a change in subject._

 _"Tomorrow," Harry replied. "I'm just glad that we managed to keep playing, who knows what would have happened if Umbridge got her way."_

 _"We should consider ourselves lucky that Professor McGonagall loves our Quidditch team as much as we do," Mia stated with a smirk. "I can imagine the look on her face when she found out that Umbridge was withholding you guys from practice."_

 _"She probably went straight for Dumbledore's office at top speed," Harry laughed. "I would have loved to see that."_

 _"I second that," Mia agreed. "Well this essay's done, thank goodness. What's next?"_

 _"We have that assignment for Flitwick but that can wait until tomorrow, it's getting late," Harry said._

 _"I guess you're right, we should probably head on up then," Mia said, stifling a yawn. She placed her essay with her other completed assignments and then reached over for one of the books they were using, but Harry had reached for it as well and their hands bumped into each other once again. Mia felt the same tingling sensation as before along with a warm, almost electric spark that had her swiftly withdrawing her hand, her eyes widening slightly and she cursed herself silently, wishing that she would stop acting so foolish around him. However, to her surprise Harry reached over and gently took her hand in his, holding it carefully in his palm and rubbing the back of it with his thumb._

 _"Harry," she whispered, her voice coming out more as a squeak than anything else. "What…what are you…"_

 _"Mia," Harry muttered, looking straight into her eyes. "We've always been best friends, right? We've always been there for each other, and I have always thought of you as a sister. But, I don't know, something…something's changed."_

 _"Changed?" Mia breathed, trying to tell herself that this wasn't happening, her heart beating so loud it was starting to ring in her ears. Harry was staring at her in a way that looked so sincere, so heartfelt, she was sure he was seeing right through her. He moved himself closer to her, looking unsure of himself yet confident at the same time. It was as though he was nervous, but still willing to keep going with whatever he was doing. Soon enough he was close enough that their legs were touching and Mia sat still as Harry took her other hand in his._

 _"Mia, there's something I need to tell you," he said. "I—I think I've been feeling differently towards you. When I think of you, I feel happy. No, not just happy, much better than happy, actually. You are beautiful, smart, and the kindest person I have ever met. Lately all I've been wanting is to just be near you, to see your smile, hear your laugh, and touch your hands. You make me feel something that I can't explain, something that goes beyond what someone would feel for a sister. Because you mean much more to me than that, and it scares me but makes me excited as well. I think I might be falling for you, Mia."_

 _Mia could hardly breathe, let alone speak as Harry confessed his feelings, and her heart was beating radically inside of her chest. Was she hearing things? Was Harry really saying all of this? Was—was he saying he felt about her the same way she felt about him? The idea created a bubble of joy inside of her that she tried to contain, but her flushed cheeks was sure to give her away. She still found it hard to move, even when Harry reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers feeling warm against her skin. Then he started moving in closer to her, his hand softly cupping her cheek. When their noses were almost touching, and his lips were just a breath away from hers, Mia closed her eyes, breathing in his scent, and she could feel the beginnings of the pressure of his lips on hers…_

"Mia! Mia, wake up."

All at once, Mia jolted upright from where she sat, her head snapping up and gasping loudly as her senses became completely aware once again, and her eyes snapping opened. She stared around for a second, feeling lost until she saw Neville standing next to her, a concerned look on his face. After a few seconds, Mia realized that she was not sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Harry late at night, but at a table in the library in the early evening, using her Ancient Runes book as a pillow with her swan feather quill hanging loosely between her fingers. When she comprehended her surroundings she stared down at her book and the half-finished first draft of the essay that was to go along with her project for Ancient Runes, her face turning red with embarrassment and her insides flipping over in her stomach.

"It was a dream," she muttered to herself, a small part of her feeling sad that it had ended so abruptly "It was a dream…"

"Are you okay Mia," Neville asked, looking guilty. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, no Neville, I'm all right," Mia said, shaking her head before giving him a small smile. "I guess I must have dozed off. How are you?"

"I'm all right, just finished up some research for our Herbology homework," Neville replied. "I was about to go back to the common room to put my stuff away before heading down to dinner."

"Would you mind if I come with you?" Mia asked. "We can head down to dinner together."

Neville happily agreed and after Mia put all of her things back inside of her bag, the two of them left the library and walked up to the tower together, making small chat. Neville asked her if her mother still had the Violet Butterflies, to which Mia confirmed, telling him how much she loved them and looks forward to releasing them once it's time to the new batch to grow, although she always did it at night so she wouldn't risk being seen by other Muggles. Mia also listened as Neville spoke of his dreams to become a Herbologist and research all sorts of plants and herbs from around the world. The two Gryffindors reached their common room in no time and then started heading back down to the Great Hall, the both of them looking forward to a delicious hot meal.

"Have you decided what you want to do yet, Mia?" Neville asked her.

"I've narrowed it down some, but I'm still not quite sure," Mia admitted. "I've been told I would make a good teacher, healer, and waitress."

"What?" Neville said.

"Nothing," Mia giggled, waving it off. "I just hope I will have it figured out by the time we're supposed to meet with McGonagall."

"I'm sure you will," Neville stated. "You're so smart, Mia, you can do anything."

"I wouldn't say everything, but I'm definitely keeping my options open," Mia said. "But I'm leaning more towards something involving potion-making. Maybe even become a Potions Master."

"That would suit you well, Harry and Ron tell me about how you love to experiment with new stuff, it would be perfect for you," Neville said.

"Yes, but I want a career that would help others as well as myself," Mia said. "So it leaves me stumped for the moment."

"I see your point," Neville said. He was about to say something else but just then, the unsightly view of Crabbe and Goyle came into view as they rounded a corner, the two of them sniggering to themselves and not even paying attention to where they were going. In no time at all they roughly pushed into Neville, almost causing him to fall over but Mia managed to catch him in time.

"Watch where you're going, Longbottom," Goyle sneered with that ugly impish face.

"You should take your own advice, you great baboon," Mia snapped while Neville just glared.

"What did you say?" Goyle said, his hand going to the pocket of his robes where his wand was. However Mia was fast as she whipped out her own wand, but she didn't raise it, shooting him a death glare and putting ice into her words as she spoke.

"You saw what I helped do to you and Malfoy at the end of last year on the train," she hissed. "Do you really want a repeat?"

Crabbe and Goyle just glowered at her before turning around in a huff and stomping back down the corridor, glaring from over their shoulders.

"You have to be careful, Mia," Neville said. "They might try to get you back."

"I'd like to see them try," she said, placing her own wand back inside her pocket. "And they never do anything without their boss' orders, anyway."

At this point they were now walking down the long corridor on the seventh floor that held a huge tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach a bunch of trolls the ballet and a bare stretch of wall right across from it.

"Any new thoughts on where to have our first meeting?" Neville asked her quietly after a brief silence.

"Not yet, and I'm starting to worry we'll never find a place," Mia admitted, going deep into her thoughts on the issue. "We need someplace to practice that's easily hidden and hard to find by others…"

"Somewhere they can't find us," Neville added.

"Somewhere that will be equipped for our needs, where we can learn how to fight," Mia continued, frowning as she mentally wished for this seemingly impossible place. At that moment, there was a strange noise coming from her left, like stones being scraped against the floor mixed with dust falling from the ceiling, and she slowed down her movements, listening carefully.

"Did you hear that?" Neville said nervously.

"Yeah," Mia replied quietly. Moving as one, the two of them slowly turned to see that the blank wall space they had been walking past was starting to transform, the ancient stone clearing away to reveal towering doors with designs on them that made them seem more like iron gates leading into a grand fortress, the brass handles gleaming in the light of the torches. Mia stood there for a moment, completely stunned at what she was seeing. What was this? Why did this door suddenly appear before them? What strange magic was this?

"Well, are you going to go in or not?" Barnabas quipped at them from the tapestry with an almost impatient attitude.

"Go in?" Neville repeated in confusion.

"You summoned it, did you not?" Barnabas said.

"We don't even know what this is," Mia told him.

"Simple child, you have summoned the Room of Requirement!" Barnabas exclaimed, exasperated. "You obviously were in dire need of something if it appeared before you. Whatever it is you need, you'll find inside."

"Whatever we need?" Mia said, turning her attention back to the door. What was he talking about? Neither she nor Neville need anything right now, they were just thinking about where—where to practice. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as a sudden thought came to her mind. This door suddenly appeared while she and Neville were contemplating on where to find the perfect place for their new defense group to practice in secret. And Barnabas said this led into the "Room of Requirement," so did that mean it revealed itself because there were those in need of it? The idea was crazy in itself, but after spending so much time at Hogwarts, Mia was hardly surprised because there were still so many secrets she was sure this old castle was still holding that no one knew about. Taking a quiet breath, Mia stepped forward towards the door.

"Mia, wait!" Neville protested, taking hold of her arm. "It could be dangerous."

"I don't think it is," Mia said. "I have a feeling this might be just what we need. Let's check it out."

"The last time I went wandering around with you we ran into a three-headed dog," Neville reminded, his body starting to tremble.

"In my defense, I tried to stop that from happening, but I sort of got dragged along, too," Mia said. "Come on."

Neville still looked unsure, but he reluctantly followed Mia, his hand still on her arm, swallowing loudly. When they were directly in front of the doors, Mia took hold of one of the knobs and turned it, wondering if it was locked. Thankfully it wasn't, and so she pushed it forward, stepping inside of the room and she was met with an incredible sight.

Before her was a huge room that seemed to stretch on forever, with one section of the walls being made of glass, like a ballet studio. There were no chairs but soft-looking, large silk cushions positioned here and there, with a bunch of different objects of all shapes and designs. Mia recognized a couple of them as dark-magic detectors and even some Pocket Sneakoscopes on some shelves close to an old fireplace against the far right wall. Staring around, Mia also saw that there were wooden mechanical dummies that stood on wheels, each one in the shape of a human figure draped in black with silver masks on their faces resembling the same ones that Death Eaters wore. There were even shelves upon shelves of many different books, probably filled with all kinds of defensive techniques, and there was a big bulletin board off to the side, underneath a chandelier that hung from the ceiling which gave off a mysterious bluish glow around the room. A smile came onto Mia's face and the more she looked around, the bigger it grew and she was almost bouncing from her sudden rush of excitement.

"This is it," she whispered. "Neville, this is it! We can have our practices in here!"

"It has everything we need," Neville breathed, impressed.

"And if I'm right, then this room might only appear when we need it to!" Mia gushed. They stood there for about another minutes before Mia latched onto Neville's arm and started dragging him out of the room.

"Come on Neville, we have to tell the others!" Mia said. Neville smiled and followed her out of the room, closing the door shut behind them.

…

Needless to say, the others were quite impressed and awed from Mia and Neville's discovery. After they found the Room of Requirement, they raced off down to the Great Hall to find the others. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already seated at the Gryffindor table and when they reached them, Mia dropped Neville's hand long enough to latch onto Harry's and literally yank him up out of his seat. In next to no time, Mia was dragging him back the way she came, with a confused Hermione, a laughing Neville, and a groaning Ron behind them, the latter not happy at being taken away from his dinner so soon. They made their way up to the seventh floor as fast as they could, and once Mia and Neville opened the door for them, their fellow Gryffindors were astonished at what lay inside. They opted to stare around in stunned silence before Hermione spoke.

"Neville, Mia, you did it," Hermione said. "You've found the Room of Requirement."

"The what?" said Ron.

"It's also known as the Come-and-Go Room," Hermione explained to them. "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it, and it always equipped for the seeker's needs. I thought it might have been just a rumor."

"So, say you really needed to use the toilet…" Ron said curiously.

"Very charming Ron," Mia said with an eye roll.

"But yes, that is the general idea," Hermione continued.

"It's brilliant," Harry said with a smile as he stared at some of the dummies in the corner. "It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."

"And with you teaching us, we're going to kick some serious butt," Mia stated with a grin.

The next day, the four of them managed to seek out all the people who had been at their meeting in the Hog's Head and had signed their names on the member's list. They decided to meet at night not too long before curfew, and when the time finally came, Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione went down to the Room of Requirement together to wait for everyone else to arrive. Of course, both Mia and Hermione went straight for the defense books on the shelves while Ron and Harry checked out some of the equipment they were provided with.

"Don't touch that vase, Ron," Mia called without looking up from the book she was holding. "It''ll suck you right in if you're not careful."

She heard Ron scramble backwards and she couldn't help but giggle. Soon enough, other members started to arrive close to eight, all of them staring around in wonder and excitement. It wasn't long at all before every cushion in the room was filled, and once Harry locked the door behind him, they all fell silent, looking straight at him. Harry's face turned the slightest shade of pink and Mia had to keep herself from giggling again in awe at how cute he looked, once again being the center of attention, however unwillingly. He thanked them all for coming and started to mention some ideas he had of what they could start with when Hermione suddenly raised her hand. It was a lot harder for Mia to hold in her laughter this time, having to clamp her hand over her mouth. If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought they were in one of their regular classes. Hermione suggested that they elect a leader for their group, namely Harry, that way it was more formal and gave him official power. Everyone else agreed with a unanimous vote, and once that was settled, Hermione also suggested that they come up with an official name for their group. Some ideas for names were thrown about, such as the Anit-Umbridge League, or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group, but nothing seemed to fit quite right.

"The Defense Association?" Cho put in thoughtfully. "The D.A for short, so no one will no what we are talking about outside meetings?"

"Yeah, the D. A sounds good," Ginny agreed with a wide smile. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?"

There was an instant murmuring of agreement to this, and it was then decided that they would call themselves Dumbledore's Army. Hermione wrote the name of the group on top of the member's list before she pinned it to the wall, and Mia, having an idea of her own, got up from her cushion and went over to the rest of the blank wall space. Raising her wand, she waved it across the wall and across the gray stones a huge letter D and A appeared in bright red colors within a circle. Simple, yet very effective. She turned around and grinned broadly at Harry, her eyes gleaming.

"So, what's first, Harry?" she said.

Twenty minutes later, Mia found herself facing off against Harry, the two of them standing opposite of each other with everyone else grouped off in pairs as well. Neither one of them were smiling, watching each other's movements very carefully with their wands at their sides. It was almost as if they were in a western, waiting to see who would be the fastest at drawing their gun. It was silent for another few seconds before they raised their wands, although Harry was just a tad bit quicker.

 _"Expelliarmus!"_ he shouted. Mia gasped as her wand went flying out of her hand and soaring through the air, only to be caught by Harry on his side.

"Damn," she muttered to herself. This was the third time she had messed up since pairing off against Harry, and she frowned as he walked over to her.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said when he reached her, handing her wand back over to her. "You're just flourishing your wand too much when you lift your arm. Try to keep the wand movement swift and sharp. Again?"

"Again," Mia said with a nod, a determined look on her face. Harry walked back over to his place across from her, the two of them facing off again. The silence lasted only about another minute before they moved. Mia flicked her wrist and spoke the incantation as fiercely as she could.

 _"Expelliarmus!"_

To her immense shock and surprise, Harry's wand flew out of his hand and went skittering across the floor.

"I did it!" she gasped, her face splitting into a smile.

"Excellent," Harry praised her as he went to retrieve his wand. "A couple more times like that and you'll be a pro."

The rest of the lesson went very well indeed. They only practiced the Disarming Spell for the moment, as Harry felt it was essential to master even the simplest of spells, never knowing when they may come in handy or end up saving your life. For the most part everyone did well although there was some need for improvement. They kept it up for over an hour before it was time to go back to their common rooms, and Harry used the Marauder's Map to make sure they all got away without the possibility of being caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris. And so, for the next couple of weeks, the D.A held a meeting at least once a week in a way that would accommodate everyone's schedules. Harry taught them the Reductor Curse, which Ginny certainly excelled at, the Impediment Jinx, and Stunning Hex. Everyone was getting to gripes with his lessons, and Hermione even found a safe way for them all to communicate with each other. She gathered together a bag of fake Galleons and placed a Protean Charm on the numerals around the edges. Whenever Harry used the numerals on his coin to create or change the date and time of the next meeting, the others coins would change to match his, which would be very useful if plan had to change at the last minute. Mia herself was very giddy with all that the D.A had accomplished in their first few meetings, and she was excited for what Harry had in store for them in the future.

Time went by as it normally did at Hogwarts, and even with Umbridge continuously brining the Ministry's influence into the school, they all managed to work their way around it, defying her as well as the Ministry in any way they could. Sometimes during her free period when everyone else was in class, Mia would go to the Room of Requirement by herself to read some more of the defense books she found there. The beautiful fall colors of October were slowly fading away, and with the Quidditch season right around the corner, Angelina had the team practicing almost every day to prepare for their first match against Slytherin in early November. The upcoming match had Mia very excited, as she wanted to see both Harry and Ron playing together to beat Slytherin and help Gryffindor claim the Quidditch Cup once again. Due to the Triwizard Tournament last year, there were no Quidditch games or practices at all, something that still brought some form of resentment from Harry and the twins, so now everyone was even more pumped up than usual. Also, since Halloween was slowly approaching, Mia came up with a nice idea for her and her friends.

"Scary stories?" Hermione said as she and Mia were walking out of their Ancient Runes class. "Aren't we a little old for that?"

"You can never be too old for scary stories," Mia countered brightly. "The four of us can go to the feast like we always do, and when everyone else goes to bed we can stay up late eating junk food and telling stories. It falls on a Friday this year, so we don't have to worry about classes the next day, and it would be a nice time. You have to admit Hermione, the past few Halloweens have not been very pleasant."

"Definitely," Hermione agreed. "There was the year with the troll, the blood on the wall…"

"Snuffles sneaking into the castle, and Harry's name coming out of the goblet," Mia added with a shake of her head. "I would really like us to have a nice Halloween first. I was considering just locking Harry up in the dorm room, but that seemed a bit extreme."

"A bit," Hermione chuckled. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt, we could use a little bit of normal in our lives anyway."

"That's the spirit," Mia cheered, draping an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "And we can always have the house elves get us some extra pumpkin pie and caramel apples from the kitchen—ouch, I'm kidding, Mione!"

Mia rubbed the spot on her arm where Hermione smacked her while the bushy haired girl glared at her. Halloween came upon them sooner than anyone expected, and Mia found herself very giddy throughout the day leading up to the feast. Both Harry and Ron were up for the idea of late-night story-telling and snacking, so it was good to say that this year was already looking up as far as the dreaded holiday was concerned. Their classes went without a hitch and by the time evening was setting upon the castle, everyone was making their way down to the Great Hall for the annual Halloween Feast. It was just as grand and spectacular as it was every year, with the traditional floating jack-o-lanterns, live bats flying across the ceiling, and the residential ghosts making their gloomy appearance. As added entertainment, Dumbledore even had transfigured zombies walking in between the house tables, juggling skulls in their hands, and there were even cobwebs draped along the walls, which Ron made sure to stay away from. It was a rather pleasant meal, and Mia munched on her potatoes happily, still remembering how she managed to successfully cast an anti-jinx spell over Alex at their last meeting so he wouldn't be harmed by any jinxes that came his way. It was harder to manage on people than objects or animals, so she considered it a great accomplishment. The D.A meetings were going so great, and she couldn't wait until the next one. Harry may have been hesitant at first, but he was turning out to be a good leader, no matter what he may think otherwise.

Once everyone was finished with dinner and desert (with Mia sneaking a few extra pastries and pies in her bag), it was time for everyone to head up to bed. They all hazily walked to their common room with full stomachs, and it didn't take too long for her fellow Gryffindors to make their way up to the dorm rooms for the night. Once the other girls were asleep, Mia shared an excited smile with Hermione before they crept out of their beds, with Mia holding the bag full of goodies in her hand and Sapphire at her heels, purring loudly. They quickly and silently made their way down the staircase together and when they were down in the common room, they saw Harry and Ron laying out a couple blankets on the floor.

"What did you bring?" Ron asked in a gleeful whisper as he eyes Mia's bag.

"Only the best," Mia replied as she sat down on the floor and started taking things out of her bag. "Treacle tart, caramel apples, pecan pie, carrot cake…"

"Mia, you are officially my favorite person in the world," Ron said happily as he plopped down right next to her and made a grab for the caramel apples.

"I'll remember that the next time I need something from you," Mia stated with a chuckle. When they were all settled, Mia set to work with extinguishing all the lights, even the fireplace, and lighting a small handful of candles and making them float in the air like the ones in the Great Hall, casting a faint, orange glow upon them all while Hermione cast a charm to quiet their conversation and not cause a ruckus.

"Why'd you turn off the lights?" Ron said, his voice going a little high.

"You're not scared already, are you?" Harry said with a smirk.

"No! I just—just don't see why it has to be so dark," Ron muttered, taking a bite out of his apple.

"It's all part of the experience, Ron," Mia said, sitting Indian style on the floor. "Okay, who wants to go first?"

"I think I might have a good one," Hermione put in. "My one cousin told me this once when I was little to scare me, and it did a pretty good job. Have any of you ever heard of the tale of Elizabeth Bathory?"

"No," Mia, Harry and Ron said together.

"Well, it happened decades ago, in a little town in New England, North America. There was a young and beautiful duchess who owned a huge plantation. Elizabeth Bathory was very popular among the townsfolk, her family was quite wealthy, and she used her mansion as a finishing school for young girls. But she was ignorant, snobbish, vain, and egotistic. She valued her beauty and power, so much that nothing else mattered to her. Well, as the years went by, she started to age, and she was horrified to see that her beauty was slipping away. Desperate to cling to her youth, she started reading texts on Muggle-written dark magic. There was one ritual that guaranteed she retain all she held dear."

"What was that?" Harry said.

"The blood of young virgins," Hermione said mysteriously, her eyes taking on an almost evil-looking glint. "And she had a mansion full of them."

"What?" Ron squeaked through his full mouth, his eyes going wide. "She—"

"Exactly," Hermione said with a grave nod. "Late at night she would kill a young girl in her sleep, drain her body, and then bath in her blood, bringing back the youth and prime to her old bones and wrinkles. Sometimes she even tortured them for hours on end before finally cutting their throats."

Ron was looking very pale at this point, while Harry and Mia stared at Hermione with wide eyes, looking utterly disgusted and appalled.

"And when she started running low on fresh prey, she would go out in her carriage and pick up young girls from the side of the road, stealing them away to the mansion of death. It wasn't long before the townsfolk found out what was happening, and they immediately took action. An angry mob stormed the plantation, and were horrified at the body remains and blood that coated the cellar. So they built a doorless tower in the middle of the fields and locked Bathory away, where she swore revenge and declared that she would take the lives of all the town's daughters so her soul would live forever. The tower still stands there to this day, and some say if you listen closely, you can still hear the agonized screams of the poor victims whose blood was used the feed the soul of a demon."

As Hermione finished her tale, Mia and the boys pretty much resembled deer caught in headlights, with snow white faces and wide eyes. Mia herself felt a bit queasy in her stomach.

"Hermione, no offense, but your cousin is a bit demented," Harry stated quietly. "That's…"

"Gruesome," Mia said. "Please tell me that's not based on a true story."

"I never bothered to ask, because by the end I was in tears and my mother was spanking my cousin for scaring me so much," Hermione said.

"Never figured you'd be the type to have that kind of story up your sleeve," Ron mumbled, looking down at his apple as if seeing it in a whole new light before setting it aside. "Harry, Mia, either of you have something?"

"There an old legend I've heard of from the neighborhood kids," Mia suggested. "It's the story of the Woman in White."

"Go on," Hermione encouraged, making herself comfortable by leaning against one of the armchairs.

"Well, a long time ago, there was a woman who lived out on a farm with her husband and child," Mia started, making her voice low and creepy. "She was a devoted wife and mother, doing the chores, taking care of her child, and supporting her husband as he worked the farm. She was happy and content, until one day she found out something horrible. She had gone into town to go shopping, but she came back earlier than expected, only to find her husband with another woman. The wife was devastated and went into complete shock. As the days went by, she slipped further and further into what most people considered insanity to a point where she just wasn't herself. She was so filled with rage, hurt, and confusion she barely took notice of her own actions. One night when she was bathing her child in the tub, her husband told her he was going out. Thinking that he was off to see the other woman, the wife was so clouded with rage she blacked out for a moment, not remembering a thing. When she came to, she realized that she was cradling her child's face…under the water."

"What?" Hermione and Harry gasped while Ron sqweaked.

"The wife realized that she had been holding the child's head under the water, and instantly tried to revive him, but it was too late. The child drowned, and the wife screamed in horror at what she had done. That very same night, she walked all the way to the nearby bridge that crossed over a deep, winding river and then jumped from it, not wanting to be a part of a world where the man she loved was unfaithful and her precious child was gone. Her once happy home was soon sold, left rotting and aging. Legend has it that her ghost appears on the side of the road to travelers, and she waves down male drivers. She asks them for a ride home and during their time together she tests them. If they are faithful, she leaves them be, but if they are not, she digs her hands into their chest upon their arrival to the house and rips out their heart, with their screams of agony mixing with hers!"

"Bloody hell!" Ron said, wrapping his arms around his knees in fright.

"That's awful," Harry mumbled.

"And the worst part is, it is said that the wife can never go back into the house, in fear of facing the spirit of the child that died by her hand," Mia added.

"Okay, let's take a break from the stories, yeah?" Ron said, looking desperately from one to the other.

"Oh Little Ronnie, we're just getting started," Mia said sweetly with the same gleam in her eyes Hermione had. Ron yelped and attempted to hide himself behind Harry, who was also looking unsure of the idea of more scary stories.

…..

At some point during the night of fun storytelling, joking around and eating many sweets, Mia and her friends had fallen asleep on the blankets in front of the fireplace (which Mia had reignited when Ron started getting fidgety). However, it felt as if she hadn't been sleeping long when Mia suddenly felt herself waking up from her comfortable sleep. She tried to fight it, not wanting to wake up just yet, but as the seonds ticked past, she groaned softly when she realized that she couldn't stop herself from waking. As her senses slowly became alert once again, she suddenly realized that her curled up body was in close proximity with another.

 _I guess I fell asleep next to Hermione._ Sighing to herself, Mia's eyes started fluttering open and then widened a bit as she took in what she was seeing. Lying next to her wasn't Hermione, but Harry. He was asleep on his side, his face not far from hers, and Mia was surprised to see that the backs of their hands were touching, the very tips of their fingers intertwining. Feeling very wide awake all of a sudden, Mia felt her cheeks flare up as she watched Harry's unconscious form in front of her, fighting the desire to move even closer to him. What had happened, she had been sitting right next to Hermione the last she remembered, but somehow she and Harry migrated towards each other in the night. From what she could see, it was still fairly dark in the room so the sun wasn't even up yet, but it didn't seem to be very far off. Trying to ignore the thumping of her heart, Mia looked closer at Harry and her embarrassment soon faded away.

Harry's lips were moving and he appeared to be mumbling in his sleep. There was a light sweat on his forehead and neck, making his dark hair start to stick to his skin. She even now noticed that his free hand was twitching and his eyebrows were furrowing, making his face look agitated and anxious. After about a minute, Harry's whole body started twitching and Mia could even start to make out a few words.

"No…no, no…"

Harry's breathing was starting to become ragged and Mia began feeling very worried. Lifting herself up from the floor she reached over and gently placed her hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry," she said quietly. "Harry, wake up."

There was no response, and the twitching was gradually getting worse. Feeling scared now, Mia clutching her friend's shoulder more tightly and shook him roughly.

"Harry!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "Harry, it's okay! Wake up! Harry, wake up!"

At that moment, Harry's eyes snapped open and he gasped as he jolted up from the floor, leaning on his arms and staring around with wide, fearful eyes. His whole face was a bit sweaty now, and his cheeks were terribly pale.

"It's okay, Harry," Mia soothed in a calming tone. "You were having a nightmare. It's okay."

"Mia," Harry breathed finally setting his sights on her, and Mia could see the fear evaporate from his eyes and he seemed to calm down, his tense muscles relaxing.

"It—it felt real," he whispered. "I can't understand it, I can't figure it out."

"You're really pale," Mia said, concern lacing her voice as she used her hand to feel his forehead. "Here, I'll get you something."

Being careful to avoid the still slumbering Ron and Hermione, Mia reached over for a small encyclopedia that was left on a nearby table as well as her wand. Within seconds she transfigured it into a drinking glass and filled it with some cold water. Harry took the glass from her gratefully and gulped it all down with a couple long sips. When he was done, Mia took the glass back and gazed at him softly.

"Feel better?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "I'm sorry I woke you up, Mia."

"Don't worry about it," Mia reassured him. "Come on, let's go back to sleep."

Harry simply nodded and then the two of them lay back down on the floor with the cushions they took from the loveseats. They placed themselves right next to each other again, so that they were facing one another. Giving him a warm smile, Mia reached over and took Harry's hand in hers, rubbing her thumb against his palm. Harry smiled sleepily back at her and moved closer, his eyelids falling shut. Soon enough his breathing evened out and he was asleep again.

"Sweet dreams, Harry," Mia whispered lovingly. "I'll see you when the sun comes up."

 **Well, what do you guys think? I'm not quite sure how to feel about this chapter, I just wanted to show some fun times between Mia and her friends, acting like normal teenagers for once. The two stories I had Mia and Hermione share are from a movie called "Stay Alive," in which the Elizabeth Bathory tale is based/adapted off a true story, and the television show "Supernatural," with the story of the lady in white. So, I have to claim to either of them, I just figured they were perfect for that scene, as they scared me the first time I watched them. Anyway, please review and tell me what you guys thought!**


	12. Tales and Suspicion

**Hi there everyone! Well, as promised, here's chapter twelve up and ready to go! I'm really happy with this new method of mine, it really makes everything much easier on everyone. I think this is the fastest I've updated in quite some time, and I'm glad I don't have to make you guys wait as long anymore. I've just started typing up chater fifteen, unfortunately I'm pulling a double today at work so I won't be able to work on it today like I wanted, but I'll do my best to have it done by the time I post chapter thirteen, then I'll jump right into chapter sixteen.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, things really begin to stir up and I'm sure you'll love the ending I put in. If there are any questions or comments let me know, and don't forget to review! I hope you all have a great day, or night, depending on where you are, and I will see you in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Twelve: Tales and Suspicion

MPOV

"That's it, the next time I see that slimy, ignorant little ferret I'm going to strangle him with my bare hands!"

"Mia, calm down—"

"How can I possibly calm down, Hermione? After what he and all those other prats pulled out there during the game? And who knows what's going to happen with Harry and George, and we still can't find Ron—"

"I'm sure Ron will show up soon, he just needs some alone time, that's all. And there's no point in getting yourself worked up when Harry and George haven't even come back yet."

Mia just groaned at Hermione's words as she sank down into the nearest armchair in front of the fireplace, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was a late evening in the beginning of November, and she was sitting in the common room with Hermione waiting to hear some more news of what had happened after the incident that occurred today on the Quidditch field. There mere thought of it made Mia so angry, and she hated the fact that she was practically helpless to do anything about it.

Today had been the very first Quidditch game of the season, and after going a full year without it, everyone was ecstatic. It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and both Houses had been waiting with extreme anticipation. Mia could tell that Harry was beyond excited and Ron was a nervous wreck, as it was his first official school game. The entire morning he had been pale and silent, looking positively terrified no matter how many times Mia and the others tried to reassure him that he would do fine. The atmosphere on the way down to the Quidditch field had been so energetic, and Mia found herself giddy as ever at the chance to see two of her best friends playing together. However, the giddiness quickly faded away upon arriving at the pitch due to the sound of song radiating from the stands. The song was coming from the Slytherin end of the field, the entire house singing together in unison, and Mia was horrified when she was finally able to make out the words.

 _"Weasley cannot save a thing_

 _He cannot block a single ring_

 _That's why Slytherins all sing_

 _Weasley is our King_

 _Weasley was born in a bin_

 _He always lets the Quaffle in_

 _Weasley will make sure we win_

 _Weasley is our King"_

To say Mia was angry would be a severe understatement—she was positively _livid._ She wanted nothing more than to curse every single person singing the wretched song, but as Hermione pointed out, she didn't have the power to curse all of Slytherin House. To make matters worse, they reached their goal of getting Ron unhinged, because the more they sang, the more he messed up, letting in every Quaffle that came his way. Every time he failed to save the Quaffle, the singing grew louder and louder to a point where it drowned out Lee's commentary even when he tried bellowing into the megaphone. Ron was already nervous enough, now he was letting their taunts get to him! Mia spent the entire game praying for Harry to find the Snitch before Slytherin was too far ahead in the lead. Her prayers were answered not too far into it, for when Slytherin was up by twenty points, Harry managed to find the Snitch, along with Malfoy. They both dived headlong after the Snitch, neck and neck the whole way down to the ground, and for one fleeting second, Mia was scared that they would crashed into the ground. It was a close call, too close for comfort, but in the end Harry managed to pull out from the dive with his hand clenched around the tiny golden ball. Mia had practically sagged in her seat, simply oozing with relief that they had won the game.

Yet mere seconds after the whistle blew, Harry was hit in the back by a Bludger aimed by Crabbe (how he and Goyle made the team for this year, Mia will never know), and plummeted to the ground. Both Mia and Hermione made a beeline for the field straight away to make sure that Harry was all right while Madame Hooch yelled at Goyle for such foul play against an opposing team member. But being so far up in the stand, it took them a little while to bypass the crowds and squeeze their way down the stairs. By the time they reached the field, Mia saw that the whole Gryffindor team was on the ground and to her shock, she also saw Angelina, Katie and Alicia holding back Fred from charging towards Malfoy while Harry was doing the same with George. The twins faces were pitched in pure rage as they glared at Malfoy, who was standing there with a disgusting smug look on his face despite his team losing the game. Knowing him, Mia was sure that he had said something that got the twins riled up and as she drew closer, she could hear snippets of what he said next.

"…remember what _your_ mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty remind you of it—"

And that was it. The next thing Mia knew, both Harry and George were charging towards Malfoy and started punching every part of him they could find. While in any other case, Mia would be glad to see Malfoy get just what he deserved, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Harry's face was twisted in rage, his green eyes aflame and he didn't hold back as he threw wave after wave upon Malfoy, as if he had been taken over by a new violent force. She had seen Harry angry before, but this…this scared her. Moving fast, Mia ran forward ahead of everyone else towards Harry and George.

"Harry! HARRY! GEORGE! _NO!"_ she screamed at them. "Stop!"

The minute she ran forward, she grabbed a hold of Harry shoulder and yanked him back a bit, roughly pushing Malfoy away from them.

"Get out of the way, Mia!" Harry growled.

"Harry don't please!" Mia begged, keeping him back even as he struggled to get past her although she found it hard, considering she was latching onto George's sleeve to keep him from going anywhere. Before they knew it, Mia and the boys were being blasted back by a spell from Madame Hooch, who quickly got the situation under control, albeit she was red in the face in anger and shrieked at them all to stop. She ordered Harry and George up to the castle and to go straight to McGonagall's office while she reprimanded Mia harshly for getting in the middle of the fight and causing herself possible harm.

Now, she was awaiting news in the common room with Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the team, worry eating at her insides. What would happen? No doubt McGonagall would be beyond furious with Harry and George's actions, no matter how much they were provoked, and the punishments were sure to be very unpleasant. And even worse, Ron had walked off the pitch the moment the game ended, and hasn't been seen since. She couldn't even begin to understand how Ron must feel, despite if they won the game or not, and she was worried about her dear friend. She and the others sat together for some time before the portrait hole opened and at long last, Harry and George stepped through. From the looks on their faces alone, Mia could tell whatever happened with McGonagall wasn't good. The two of them looked utterly dumbfounded, hopelessly lost and defeated, as if they were still trying to wrap their head around something. At one point Harry looked up and met Mia's gaze, and when he did she thought she saw his depressed expression worsen.

"What happened?" Angelina demanded the second they came over and sat down. "What did McGonagall say?"

"She went off on us, as expected," George replied, his voice surprisingly hollow. "She said our behavior was disgusting and that we should be ashamed of ourselves. She was set to give us a weeks' worth of detentions, but then _she_ showed up."

"She?" Katie said.

"Don't tell me…" Hermione said.

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "Umbridge came in with a brand new Educational Decree in her hand."

"You can't be serious!" Mia said. "Not another one!"

"Yup, and you're all going to love this," George said. "This decree gives Umbridge supreme power and authority over all punishments, sanctions, and removed privileges that have been given out from other teachers as well as herself, placing her above them all. Once she threw that on us, she decided that McGonagall's action of discipline wasn't enough."

"What do you mean?" Angelina asked, great apprehension on her face.

"Guys, what did she do?" Alicia said. George seemed to bitter to speak, so Harry sighed before answering.

"George and I have a lifelong ban from Quidditch, along with Fred," Harry said. "And we have to hand in our broomsticks."

There was complete silence after he had spoken, everyone taken in what was just said. Mia sat there in shock and disbelief, not wanting it to be true. How could she do that? Malfoy was sure to have started the whole thing, but where was his punishment? Harry loved Quidditch, he lived for it! It was one of the few things that gave him such great joy, and she took that away from him! How could she be so cruel? Harry belonged in the air, and now he was being forced to give it all up, all because Malfoy stepped over a line just to get under his skin. Mia's hands clenched into fists on her knees and she breathed deeply, trying to calm her fuming mind.

 _I swear Malfoy, you better not come across me, or I promise you'll regret this._

"Banned," Angelina repeated, her voice distant and low. " _Banned._ No Seeker, and no Beaters. What are we going to do?"

"That's not fair," Alicia mumbled. "What about Crabbe and Malfoy?"

"Malfoy more than likely got off, but I heard Montage telling everyone at the Slytherin table that Crabbe only got lines," Ginny said miserably.

"And banning Fred when he didn't even do anything!" Katie said.

"It's not my fault that I didn't," Fred stated, his face very ugly and furious. "If you girls hadn't held me back I would have beaten the little scumbag until he was a spot on the ground."

"This can't be happening," Mia whispered.

"And it only gets better," George added in a sarcastically cheery voice.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked him.

"We weren't the only ones to get in trouble," George sighed, running a hand through his hair. Then both he and Harry turned their heads towards Mia, and she saw Harry's eyes shining with terrible guilt. That was all it took for her to understand and she kept herself calm, flexing her hands, where she could already feel the hidden words burning into her skin.

"She gave me detention too, didn't she?" Mia said.

"For the rest of the week," Harry answered quietly.

"What?!" Fred and Ginny snapped angrily. "Why?!"

"Apparently some of the Slytherins snitched about Mia shoving Malfoy—"

"She was trying to stop you two from killing him!" Hermione exclaimed.

"—and she shouldn't have gotten in the way, and made the situation worse," George finished, staring scathingly into the flames. "We're really sorry, Mia. We never meant for you to take the fall too."

Mia sighed, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"It's all right," she said. "I'll get by."

It was quiet after that for a few minutes, everyone so lost and deep into their own thoughts. Eventually, Angelina stood to her feet, saying she was going to head to bed. She was followed not long after by Katie and Alicia, and after a minute, Ginny, Fred and George made their exit as well, with Fred putting his arm around George's shoulder. It was just Mia, Harry and Hermione left now, and Mia sighed again as she crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the floor. She was angry…so angry. Angry at the Slytherins for destroying Ron's confidence in himself, angry at herself for not being able to do anything about it, angry for not letting Harry and George beat Malfoy to a pulp, and angry at Umbridge for taking away something that made them happy as well as giving them punishments but not the others.

"Mia," Harry said. "I…"

"Don't Harry," Mia softly said, shaking her head. "It couldn't be helped."

Before another word was said, the portrait hole opened once again and then Ron came through, still wearing his Quidditch uniform and looking very pale. As soon as he caught sight of them, he made his way over and took a seat next to Mia, staring into the flames miserably. It was a while before he spoke, and when he did, he turned to Harry and apologized for nearly ruining the game for them, and promised he would resign first thing in the morning. Harry responded sharply to this, telling Ron that he better not or else they would only have three players left.

"What are you talking about?" Ron said. While Harry and Hermione explained to Ron what had happened, Mia got up from her seat and walked over to the nearest window to look outside onto the grounds. It was snowing now, with little white flurries falling from the sky in a beautiful, enchanting dance, swirling against the wind…the first snowfall of the year. Usually Mia would be overjoyed at this, wanting to go outside immediately and savor this amazing and lovely act of nature. But with everything going on, she couldn't even find it in herself to be a little excited. She just stared sadly out at the snowflakes, watching as they landed softly on the grass outside. Her gaze wandered over to the hut that sat on the edge of the forest, seeing the fading sun light up the windows…

All at once, Mia's eyes snapped to the windows of the hut and her mouth dropped open, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing. Passing along the front of the windows outside was a huge, dark figure that stood tall and wide, walking through the snow and opening the door of the hut. Mere seconds after the door was shut, the lights from inside were lit, and she could have sworn she saw a shadow bouncing across the windows, which had to be Fang. If Fang was jumping around like that, then it must mean—

"Guys!" Mia exclaimed, turning around and cutting off the argument Harry and Ron were having, a beaming smile on her face and her eyes shining. "Hagrid's back!"

Less than ten minutes later, Mia and the others were walking quickly but silently through the castle underneath Harry's Invisibility Cloak, eager to get to the cabin and see their friend. By the time they left through the Entrance Hall, Mia was grinning ear to ear, her eagerness causing a light spring in her step as they crossed over the snow covered grounds, their feet making crunching noises in the gathering snow. In no time at all, they had reached the cabin, and Harry, being in front, raised his hand to knock on the door loudly, resulting in Fang barking from inside.

"Hagrid!" he called. "It's us!"

"Shoulda known!" called a gruff voice, although Mia could still hear the smile in it. "Been home three seconds. "Out the way, Fang."

In a matter of seconds, there was the sound of the lock being undone, and light spilled out onto them as the door opened. All at once, Mia's smile disappeared from her face as she took in the sight of the gamekeeper, her eyes widening.

"Hagrid!" Hermione screamed in horror.

Hagrid looked absolutely terrible. There was dried and clotted blood mangled in his long dark hair and beard, and he had swelling purple and blue bruises on nearly every inch of exposed skin. His left eye was puffy and barely visible, and there were cuts on his hands and face that were still bleeding.

"Shhhh! Keep it down would ya?" Hagrid whispered as he stared around. "You four under tha cloak? Get in, then!"

They wasted no time in hurrying into the warmth of the cabin, and the moment Hagrid shut the door behind them, Mia whipped the cloak off of herself and practically flung herself at Hagrid, wrapping her arms as best she could around his waist.

"Oh Hagrid! Are you all right? What happened to you, we were so worried!" she fretted, her blue eyes shining with concern as she tilted her head back to look up at him.

"Hey there, Mia," Hagrid greeted cheerily, patting her on top of her head.

"Hagrid, what happened?" Harry demanded.

"It's nuthin', it's nuthin'," Hagrid muttered hastily. "Want a cuppa tea?"

"Come off it, you're in a right state!" Ron said.

"I'm tellin' yeh, I'm fine," Hagrid said firmly before beaming at them all. "Blimey, it's good ter see you four again—had good summers, did yeh?"

"Hagrid, you've been attacked!" Ron pressed.

"Fer the las' time, it's nuthin'!" Hagrid told them as he went over to his table were a huge package wrapped in paper lay. He opened it up and Mia wrinkled her nose as a foul smell came from it. It looked like a big piece of poisonous meat, still very raw and bloody. Before anyone could ask, Hagrid picked up the piece of meat and then slapped it over his eye, sighing as he sank into his chair.

"Tha's better. It helps with the stingin', yeh know," Hagrid moaned.

"So are you going to tell us what happened to you?" Harry asked.

"Can', Harry, top secret. More'n me job's worth ter tell yeh that," Hagrid replied.

"Did giants beat you up, Hagrid?" Hermione said quietly.

"Giants?" Hagrid repeated in shock, the meat starting to slip from his eye. "Who said anythin' abou' giants?"

Ron wasted no time in pointing over towards Mia, and she huffed indignantly.

"Thanks a lot, Ron," she mumbled.

"Well, you were the one who brought it up and guessed it," he said.

"But it was kind of obvious," Hermione stated. "Sorry, Hagrid."

"You four jus' can' keep from bein' nosey, can you?" Hagrid muttered with a shake of his head.

"Come on Hagrid, tell us what you've been up to," said Ron. "Tell us about being attacked by the giants and Harry can tell you about being attacked by the dementors—"

" _What?!_ " Hagrid exclaimed, the meat slipping all the way off of his eye and landing on his chest. "Whadda yeh mean, attacked by dementors?!"

"Didn't you know?" Mia asked.

"I don't know anythin' tha's happened since I left! Yeh're not serious!"

"Tell us about your summer and we'll tell you about ours," Harry said. Hagrid glared at Harry through his good eye and Harry just stared right back. After a moment, Hagrid sighed heavily.

"Oh, all righ'," he said.

Hagrid went off to explain exactly what he had been up to after the Triwizard Tournament last year. As it turns out, Hagrid and Madame Maxime had been tasked with venturing off to find the giants and relaying Dumbledore's message to them. It sounded as though Dumbldore had wanted to express his greetings and ask them for any aid in the upcoming conflict that would more than likely happen in the near future. The idea seemed simple enough, but according to Hagrid, it was anything but. It took him and Madame Maxime a month just to reach them, having to travel from place to place with no use of magic and no contact from the Order or anyone else, not wanting to be followed or draw any more attention to themselves. Dumbledore had warned them that it was not only them who would be seeking an audience with the giants, but the Death Eaters as well. Hagrd told them that Voldemort had gathered most of them to his side during the first war, and so it wouldn't be surprising if he attempted to do the same this time.

Although, when Hagrid and Madame Maxime finally did find the giants lingering in the mountains, it wasn't a pretty sight. Being hunted and persecuted by wizards throughout the ages and being forcefully driven into the deepest and darkest forests of the world have made the giants much more aggressive and violent. They have been forced to live in small groups of no more than about eighty with one another, and therefore fights were bound to break out amongst them. Some of these fights would end deadly and bloody, with them tearing each other apart and decreasing their numbers even more. Instead of being straightforward, Hagrid and Madame Maxime merely requested to offer a gift from Dumbledore to the Gurg, or chief. The Gurg seemed very interested in them and was appreciative of their gift. When Hagrid and Madame Maxime returned the next day with another gift, he seemed eager to greet them and it seemed as though he would be willing to hear what they had to say.

However, it didn't last. On the third day of their visit, Hagrid realized that another fight had broken out between the giants, and the Gurg had been killed, only to be replaxed by another. This new Gurg was ruthless, violent, and ignorant. It was clear he was not interested in Hagrid and Madame Maxime, but they refused to give up. Over the next few days, Hagrid tried his best to relay Dumbledore's message, and he said that he supposed some of the giants remembered the headmaster's kindness towards them in the past. But their luck only worsened as they realized that Death Eaters had come into the fray as well. They appeared to make a better impression with the Gurg than Hagrid and Maxime did, and even added to yet another fight breaking out. Many more giants were killed while others fled into the night. Hagrid and Madame Maxime barely got away and had no choice but to return home.

Mia sat there at the table in stunned silence. Hagrid's story of what he had been up to over the summer was terrifying and she couldn't imagine what he must have gone through just to deliver a message. The others were just as stumped as she was and it was silent for a moment until Ron spoke up.

"So, there are no giants coming?" he asked.

"Nope," said Hagrid. "But we did wha' we were mean' ter do, we gave 'em Dumbledore's message, an' some o' them heard it an' I 'spect some o' them'll remember it. Jus' maybe, them tha' don' wan' ter stay around Gurg'll move outta the mountains, an' there's gotta be a chance they'll remember Dumbledore's friendly to 'em…could be they'll come."

"But Hagrid, that doesn't explain why you're like this," Mia said. "If the giants didn't attack you, than who did?"

"I wasn' attacked, Mia, I—"

Hagrid was suddenly cut off from speaking by a sudden loud rapping at his front door. Fang started barking while Hermione gasped and dropped her mug in surprise, causing it to shatter on the floor. Everyone looked over at the window and Mia's stomach dropped to see a familiar short and squat shadow lingering outside.

 _"It's her!"_ she hissed. In a matter of seconds, Harry whipped out his invisibility cloak and threw it around himself and Hermione while both Ron and Mia made a dash around the table, quickly ducking under it themselves. Harry told Hagrid to hide their mugs and even though he was very confused as to what was happening, Hagrid must have heard the urgency in Harry voice and did as he was asked. He quickly disposed of the leftover mugs while Mia and the others backed away into a corner, with her and Harry squeezed in between Ron and Hermione, making themselves as small as possible. Seconds later when Hagrid opened the door, Mia's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Umbridge standing on his threshold, her bulging eyes staring up at him.

"So," she said, very slowly and loudly as though she were speaking to someone who was deaf. "You are Hagrid, are you?"

"Yes. Er, I don't mean to be rude, but who the ruddy hell are you?" Hagrid asked.

"I am Delores Umbridge," the little toad replied as she made her way into the cabin without asking. "Former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Hogwarts High Inquisitor. And I have some questions for you."

HPOV

Harry glowered at Umbridge as she stared around at Hagrid's home with obvious disgust and continued speaking to him as if he were slow and couldn't understand. She asked him about Hermione's broken cup that was left on the floor, and the footprints that led up to the cabin, her tone suggesting the highest suspicion. Hagrid stumbled over his words a bit as he answered her, his eyes constantly flickering over to the corner where Harry was hidden with the others. The more he talked, the deeper Umbridge's frown became and when Hagrid couldn't explain the footprints, she started scouring every inch of the place, looking under his bed and into the cabinets. Her sharp eyes scanned everything she could see, and just when she seemed to be through, she started briskly walking over to the corner where they were hiding under the cloak. Harry felt Mia stiffen directly in front of him as Umbridge moved closer to her, coming within mere feet of her. In that moment Harry reached out quietly yet swiftly, taking Mia into his arms and pulling her tight against him, away from Umbridge's approaching form.

 _Stay away,_ he found himself thinking. Mia let out a barely audible gasp as he pulled her to his chest but otherwise stayed still, clutching one of his hands with hers. Umbridge finally stopped within a few inches of them, and Harry found himself holding his breath. It was completely silent for a minute before Umbridge let out a tiny huff and turned back to walk over to Hagrid, demanding to know how he became injured. Hagrid told her he had a small accident, but Harry knew she didn't believe him, even more so when Hagrid was coming up with poor excuses on where he's been for the past few months. It seemed to take forever and a day, but at long last Umbridge took her leave, pausing long enough to tell Hagrid that as High Inquisitor, it was her duty to aid the Ministry in weeding out unsatisfactory teachers, and that she would be seeing him soon. Then she was gone, closing the door sharply behind her, and Harry finally let out the breath he was holding in. When he did, he was temporarily distracted by the pleasant scent that seemed to be radiating from Mia. He took a moment to breathe it in, trying to distinguish the specific smell. It was floral, mixed in with…some sort of berry?

 _Her perfume._

"Harry?" Mia spoke to him in a quiet voice. "I think she's gone now."

Harry suddenly realized that he was still holding Mia against him and he quickly released her, ducking his head so she couldn't see his red cheeks. The four of them threw of the cloak when the coast was clear, and Hermione went straight to work warning Hagrid about her, telling him that Trelawney was already on prohibition, and asking him what kinds of creatures he was planning on showing them for the rest of the year. Hagrid wouldn't say no matter how hard Hermione pressed and to their dismay, he didn't seem to be taking Hermione's warning too seriously. He just promised them that their next lesson would be a great one before he yawned and sent them on his way, saying he needed some rest. Harry walked back up to the castle with the others, a heavy heart in his chest. He knew that Hagrid meant well, he always does, but if Hagrid presented something in the lesson that didn't meet Umbridge's standards, he knew she wouldn't hesitate in putting in the paperwork for his extraction immediately.

"I don't know if you got through to him Hermione," Ron said when they finally reached the Entrance Hall and started making their way up the staircase.

"Then I'll go back there tomorrow and plan his lesson if I have to!" Hermione stated determinedly. "I don't care if Umbridge takes Trelawney, but she's not taking Hagrid!"

…

Harry was sitting in the common room late at night, writing out one of his assignments for Professor McGonagall and trying his best to ignore his tired, itchy eyes. He was just about finished with this one, and then maybe he could get a head start on the next one and finish it tomorrow afternoon during his free period. It was completely silent in the common room except for the scratching of his quill, the only light coming from the torches he lit that hung above his corner table and the oil lamp he managed to transfigure from a nearby cushion. Right now he was waiting for Mia to get back from her second night of detention with Umbridge, settling back into their old routine. No matter what she said, he felt errible that he kept putting her in this situation, and he would do all he could to make it up to her. Tonight he even made sure to bring them a snack to share, which consisted of Mia's favorite treat, cinnamon cookies, and a jug of pumpkin juice that he managed to bring up from the kitchens, courtesy of Dobby and the other house elves. Just as Harry finished the last sentence for his essay, the portrait hole opened and he looked up to see Mia stepping through. He could tell instantly that she was extremely tired, her hair pulled back into a frizzy, messy bun, her shoulders slumped, her eyes drooping and slowly flexing the fingers on her left hand, probably stiff from the lines she wrote. When she looked over to see him waiting, she smiled softly at him, and Harry felt his heart do an unexpected leap.

"Hey," she muttered quietly.

"Hey yourself," Harry greeted with a smile of his own as he gestured over towards the plate of cookies. "I brought your favorites, and I took some notes you can copy."

"Be still, my beating heart," Mia said with a small chuckle, walking over and taking a seat next to him at the table. "You're the best."

"I know," Harry said while smirking at her. Mia just rolled his eyes at him but didn't argue as she placed her bag on the ground next to her while stifling a yawn behind her hand.

"So, what's on the agenda for tonight?" she asked.

"Well, I just finished McGonagall's essay, now I just have to start her practice tests, and then we can work together on Flitwick's questionnaire," Harry replied.

"You're ahead of me this time?" Mia asked on mock disbelief. "Harry Potter, look at you catching up in your school work."

"Shut it, Mia," Harry said with a glare, only making his friend laugh even more. At that moment Mia reached over to grab a cookie from the plate and Harry noticed something he didn't see when she first walked in.

"What's that on your sleeve?" he said.

"What?"

"There, on your left sleeve. It's red."

"Oh," Mia said, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she pulled back her hand, folding over the sleeve which had a tiny dark red stain along the hem. "It's nothing."

"Mia, is that blood?" Harry said, a frown appearing on his face as he reached over and took her left hand in his. Mia suddenly stiffened and she made a quiet yet brief noise before clamping her mouth shut.

"Mia, what's wrong? Are you all right?" Harry said, confused as he looked at her strange expression.

"I'm fine, Harry," Mia replied, taking her hand back rather quickly and placing it beside her on the table. "It's really nothing."

Harry just stared at Mia. She looked indifferent now, but his gut told him something wasn't quite right. Mia appeared all right, but there was something nagging at him, and he didn't know why.

"Well, what's that red stain?" he asked her.

"Peeves, what else?" Mia said with an eye roll, her annoyance at the residential Poltergiest leaking through. "He decided to have some fun and chase me down the corridor on my way back. He split my bag open and when everything fell out I got some ink on my clothes. It's no big deal."

"I didn't know you even had red ink," Harry noted.

"I use it sometimes when I write to my parents or Mrs. Brugger," Mia explained to him. "Harry, I'm _fine,_ don't worry."

Before Harry could reply to that, Mia sighed and stood up, taking a few cookies with her, this time using her right hand to grab them.

"You know, I'm actually pretty tired, Harry," Mia said, and she truly looked it. "Umbridge kept me later than usual tonight. Would it be all right if we take a rain check for tomorrow? I can barely keep my eyes open right now."

"Sure, all right," Harry said after a moment. Mia smiled at him before giving him a one armed hug and then walking over towards the girl's staircase, disappearing from sight. Harry watched her go, once again alone in the empty common room, his mind suddenly buzzing. That was a little…odd, to say the least. He just couldn't put his finger on it, but something wasn't right. Mia was herself, but at the same time, she wasn't. Not fully, anyway. And when he touched her, her muscles became so stiff, it was almost like—like he was hurting her. But how? He only touched her hand.

 _Stop being so ridiculous about this,_ he scolded himself. _Mia said it was ink, so that's what it is. She wouldn't lie to me…would she?_

…...

All throughout the next day, Harry found himself observing Mia closely and being lost in his thoughts more often. What he was looking for, he wasn't exactly sure, and no matter how many times he berated himself for acting like an idiot, something unknown in the back of his mind was jabbing at him constantly, as if his subconscious was trying to tell him something. He thought about the previous night and his stomach twisted as he reflected on the thoughts he had. No, he was being completely stupid. He and Mia have always told each other everything, there wouldn't be any reason for her to lie to him. Also, it was only a tiny stain on her sleeve, so even if it was blood, it could have been from a simple paper cut or something.

 _Ah,_ that evil voice would whisper in his head. _If it was just a simple paper cut, why wouldn't she say so?_

Harry shook his head of these thoughts but they wouldn't leave him alone. He was still musing to himself by the time he and Ron were making their way towards dinner to meet up with Hermione and Mia, the former about to finish her Arithmancy lesson and the latter spending her free period in a study session with Alex.

"What's up, Harry?" he heard Ron say to him.

"What?"

"You been out of it for the last few minutes, mate," Ron said.

"I'm just thinking, I guess," Harry said.

"About?" Ron pressed.

"I don't know," Harry admitted. Ron looked thoroughly confused and was about to say something else when their conversation was interrupted by the sound of their names being called.

"Harry! Ron!"

The two boys paused about midway down the staircase and turned to see Luna Lovegood coming down towards them, her blonde hair swaying between her shoulders, wearing a strange necklace and her blue eyes as dreamy as ever.

"Hello Loon—Luna," Ron corrected himself quickly.

"It's okay to say 'Loony,' Ron, it would most likely sound strange if you didn't," Luna said cheerfully as she reached them. "Are you two off to lunch, then?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "Would you—um, care to join us?"

"Yes, thank you," Luna replied with a smile and then they continued walking down the staircase together. "How is Mia doing?"

"Oh, uh, she's fine," Harry said.

"That's good to hear, she's very strong," Luna stated.

"What?" Ron said.

"She's very strong, and it's admirable. Would either of you boys like to have some Crusik Slime?" Luna asked.

"Some of what?" Harry said.

"Crusik Slime," Luna repeated as they came upon the second floor corridor. It was only then that Harry realized that Luna was holding out a thin, clear flask that had a disgusting looking substance inside that was thick, greenish-yellow and seemed to be moving on its own. Ron's face twisted at the sight of it, and Harry couldn't blame him because it honestly looked like boogers.

"Crusiks are tiny toad-like creatures with wings that ooze this slime from their skins," Luna said. "My dad and I go looking for them every summer. The slime is used for many different purposes, and they're excellent for healing, too. They would certainly make good pets, although it's a shame I could never give them pudding, or else they would get terribly sick and most likely pass away. I just gave some to a little boy in my house, he's a first year, and he hurt himself. It only takes hours to work, so he should be fine soon."

"Not sure _I_ would be," Harry heard Ron mumble.

"Well, that's very nice of you, Luna," Harry said.

"Yes, I felt quite bad for him, he hurt himself doing work, and I had this fresh batch with me at the time."

"What did he do to himself?" Harry asked.

"He got hurt while in detention, and he was crying when he came back to the common room," Luna replied. "If I wasn't up finishing homework I wouldn't have been able to help."

Harry snapped his head over towards Luna as she said this, and he stopped walking, drawing the attention of the other two.

"Harry?" Ron said. Harry didn't answer—a feeling of suspicious and unbelievable dread was beginning to boil in the depths of his stomach, and his conscious mind violently pushed back the terrible thoughts that were threatening to break through. He had to force himself to breath normally, although he was sure his eyes had taken on a steely glint.

"Luna, how did he get hurt?" Harry asked.

Luna's smile faltered a bit and she tilted her head in his direction.

"In detention," she repeated.

 _"How?"_

"I think he said something happened while he was doing lines," Luna said with a shrug. "Are you okay?"

Again, Harry said nothing, his gaze turning to the floor, a mixture of emotions sweeping through him. Luna's housemate was hurting while in detention? Doing lines? Something was sounding horribly familiar, and Harry's thoughts were going a hundred miles a second. Ron, seeing his expression, turned to Luna, and asked if she could go on ahead, giving them a minute. She seemed slightly puzzled but agreed, letting them know that if they ever needed any slime all they had to do was ask, before skipping off down the corridor. Ron turned back to Harry, his face serious.

"I know that look mate. Something's up, and don't try to deny it," Ron said. "What's wrong?"

Thinking fast, Harry looked back up and called out to Luna before she rounded a corner.

"Luna! Who was he in detention with?!"

"Hm?" Luna said as she slowed down to look over his shoulder. "Oh, he was with Professor Umbridge."

Harry's insides went numb as he watched Luna disappear around the bend and he felt as though he was smacked dead in the face. Could—cloud she have…no. She wouldn't _dare!_

"Harry, what's wrong?" Ron asked. "Cough it up, already!"

"Ron," Harry muttered, barely able to keep his voice even. "We're going to find Hermione, and then the three of us need to talk— _now._ "

 **Ohhhh, Harry's catching on! What will happen now? You'll just have to read the next chapter to find out! Don't forget to review guys, I'll see you next week!**


	13. Big Mistakes and Sincere Apologies

**Hi there everyone! I'm so happy to see you all again! I hope you all had a good week, mine wasn't so great. I've been sick for the majority and it makes me thankful I got such a good head start on chapter fifteen. I felt so horrible, but my doctor said it was nothing serious, I just needed strong medicine and rest. It really works wonders because I stayed up late last night working on not only this story but two others that I plan on putting up on this site someday.**

 **Anyway. here it is, the chapter you've all been anxious to read. I have to admit, I was pretty anxious writing this myself, and I've had to redo it a couple times to make sure everything fit right, that the characters didn't seem too OOC, and mixing my own take of things along with the events of the book. I just hope that you guys really enjoy this chapter, as it's something I have been looking forward to-and also kind of dreading-to write. I hope it was worth the wait. If you have any questions or comments, just feel free to tell me and as always, review with your thoughts on this chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Thirteen: Big Mistakes and Sincere Apologies

MPOV

"Hey Rachel, have you seen Harry, Ron and Hermione?"

"Sorry Mia, I haven't seen them since Transfiguration class," Rachel responded with a shake of her head. "Dinner's only just started, I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"Yes, I suppose," Mia said as she started dishing food out onto her plate.

"How was your study date with Alex?" Rachel asked with a smile.

"It wasn't a date," Mia aid, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know, you two were in a secluded area spending personal time together," Rachel giggled. "Sounds like a date to me."

"I highly doubt researching the ancient techniques to handling Rancors is considered personal time," Mia said.

"Whatever you say, Mia," Rachel said. "Listen, a couple of my friends and I are going down to the lake to skate for a little while tonight, since it's frozen over. Do you want to come with us?"

"Sorry Rachel, I can't, I have my last detention with Umbridge tonight," Mia told her.

"Oh yeah I forgot about that. Are you ever going to stay out of trouble?"

"Probably not," Mia admitted honestly, taking a bite out of her beef. "Life would be too boring otherwise."

The two girls kept up with their normal chatter, and as the minutes ticked on by, Mia was starting to wonder where her friends could have gotten too. It was still early on in dinner, but she would have to leave soon in order to make it to her detention, and she wanted to at least see them before she went. She frowned at the thought of her dreaded detention that awaited her tonight, and she could almost feel the words burn on the back of her hand, hidden from everyone around her. Mia doubted there was anything she could do about the scars, for they seemed to be permanent now, no matter what she did. Every morning before anyone else woke up she would rub herbal balm on it if it started stinging and then covered it with the glamor charm. It became a part of her routine, and that alone was something she truly hated. She didn't like keeping it a secret, but knowing that the same fate had been in store for someone she deeply cared for and understanding what would happen if people knew, she came to the conclusion that this was what is best for everyone. She'd rather deal with this torture for weeks rather than see anyone she loved going through it.

Soon enough it was a quarter of five, and Mia's face grew sad when the others still hadn't come down. Finishing the last bites of her meal, she stood to her feet and bid Rachel goodbye before slinging her bag over her shoulder and leaving the Great Hall behind her. Even though she took her time walking through the corridors, it still didn't take her long at all to reach Umbridge's office.

She hesitated outside of the door, taking a deep breath.

 _This is the last night. Just one more night._

Preparing herself, Mia knocked on the door, gritting her teeth as she heard the usual sickly sweet voice inviting her in from the other side.

"Good evening, Miss Thatcher," Umbridge greeted with her nasty smile as Mia entered the room.

"Good evening, Professor Umbridge," Mia replied, knowing the process by heart at this point.

"You know what to do, dear," Umbridge said, gesturing over to the wretched desk. Mia let out a quiet sigh before walking over towards the desk, where pieces of parchment lay with the Blood Quill lying next to them. Taking her seat, Mia picked up the quill, gazing at it with such distaste and contempt before she started writing on the parchment, her blood immediately beginning to seep through the tip and the sharp pain carving into her skin. All the while, she could feel Umbridge's eyes on her, and she was determined not to meet her stare.

 _I won't give in to you…I won't!_

Many hours later Mia was still sitting at the desk with her hand cramping up, the blood dripping in between her fingers and even spotting the parchment. She kept her face blank and neutral, although she internally cringed every time the quill made contact with the parchment. The words _I must do as I'm told_ shone brightly on her hand, and after what seemed like forever, Umbridge finally told her to stop. It was all Mia could do not to let out a sigh of relief as she placed the quill down and looked up to see Umbridge standing from her desk and walking over towards her.

"Let's see now, dear," she said. Mia just held out her hand and let Umbridge take it, never flinching as the woman's pink nails pinched around the bleeding words.

"Looks like this will be enough for tonight," Umbridge said. "Hopefully you will learn your lesson next time."

Mia wanted nothing more than to snap back but she knew it would only cause more trouble for herself. Instead she simply took her hand back with a scowl and then reached down to pick up her bag.

"Just a moment though, Miss Thatcher," Umbridge said. "I would like to see your bag for a moment."

"What?" Mia said, confused and slightly indignant at her request. "Why do you want to see my bag—professor?"

"Let's call it a curious inspection, dear," Umbridge replied, her sugary voice sending a shiver down Mia's spine. "Open the bag."

It seemed innocent enough, but Mia could hear the very well hidden threat laced in those words. She narrowed her eyes at her but kept her mouth clamped shut as she placed her bag on the table and opened it. She just stood there as Umbridge peered inside, her tiny eyes scanning over everything she saw inside—her books, some rolls of parchment, a silver tin that held some treats, and a case that held the swan feather quills Harry had gotten her for Christmas years ago.

"Hmm, I suppose everything is in order—oh my, what have we here?"

Before Mia could say anything, Umbridge took out her wand and then waved it wordlessly. From inside the bag came the vial that held the healing balm Mia used for her hand.

"What is this?" Umbridge asked as she held the vial in her hand.

"It's…it's, um, a lotion that I use," Mia replied calmly.

"A lotion," Umbridge repeated. "The contents seem to be too smooth and clear to be lotion, dear. You wouldn't happen to be lying, would you? Because this sure looks like something you could use for healing, in my opinion."

Mia said nothing, and Umbridge smiled her genuine smile at her, reminding Mia of a malicious ghost.

"I'm sorry dear, but I'm afraid I will have to take this," Umbridge said.

"What?" Mia gasped. "No, you can't—"

"I'm afraid I can," Umbridge countered. "Not only on the grounds that you refuse to tell me what it really is, but if in fact this is something used for healing, you are not truly learning your lesson, are you? What is the point of attempting to place some sense in your misguided mind if you do not feel the full effects of the consequences of your actions? I'm very sorry to say, Miss Thatcher, that I cannot allow you to take the easy way out any longer. I am confiscating this, and I suggest you do not bring any more to any future detentions. Have a good night, dear."

Mia just stood there, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing. She depended on that balm to take away most of the pain that the Blood Quill inflicted upon her hand, and Umbridge was taking it away. Not being able to stand looking at the smiling toad, Mia snatched up her bag and then left without another word, closing the door sharply behind her. She was positively fuming as she stalked along the dark and quiet corridors, knowing it must be very late at night. The light from the torches flickered across her face as she went, and she could feel her heart pounding. She walked on until she came upon the girl's bathroom, and she hurried inside, quickly going over to the sink and turning on the faucets. Very carefully, Mia placed her bleeding hand underneath the water and she hissed as it burned upon contact, the pain making it feel as though her skin was inflamed. She let it rinse for about a minute before removing it from under the tap and she stared at it, the red scarlet letters mocking her with their message. All of a sudden, her eyes started to well with tears and then began falling down her face as she cried softly, her voice echoing in the room.

It was about fifteen minutes later when Mia left the bathroom. She had managed to stop the bleeding for now, after applying pressure with toilet paper, and she put the glamor charm in place. Wanting to get back to the dormitories as soon as possible to see if she has anything else she could use for her wound, Mia left the bathroom in a hurry, glad that the night was finally coming to an end. After a little while she finally made it up to the portrait of the Fat Lady, feeling bad for having to wake her up so she could give her the password. The Fat Lady seemed irritated at first, but at the miserable look on Mia's face, her expression softened a bit and she swung forward without another word, allowing her entrance. Mia thanked her quietly before taking a second to compose herself. Harry was more than likely inside, waiting for her with a smile on his face, his homework laid out before him and a plate of treats for them to share. The thought of it brought a smile to Mia's face for the first time in hours. No matter how bad the day was, she was glad she had Harry to come back to at the end of it. With that in mind, Mia walked through the hole in the wall and into the common room.

However, to her great surprise, it wasn't just Harry who was waiting for her in the common room. Ron and Hermione were with him as well, all of them seated in the armchair and loveseat closest to the entrance. Although she was surprised, Mia was happy to see her friends, since she hasn't been able to see them since before dinner. She smiled at them as she walked on over, her burden already feeling lighter than it had just a moment ago.

"Hey guys," she greeted when she reached them. "What are you all doing up so late?"

"Mia," Hermione said, her tone low and anxious. "We need to talk."

All at once, Mia realized that something was wrong. The usual homework and assignments that were laid out by the time she got back to the common room were nowhere in sight, and from the expressions on her friend's faces, she knew something was going on. Hermione appeared nervously anxious, Ron seemed unsure of himself, and Harry…she couldn't really read his face. He was gazing at her with a relatively calm expression, but his eyes showed something else. It was almost as if he were suppressing something, something that threatened to blow up in everyone's faces. He sat slightly hunched over, his hands clasped in front of him and a tiny frown on his face.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Mia asked, their silence beginning to worry her.

"Mia something happened earlier today, and it has us…concerned," Hermione said carefully.

"Concerned?"

"Yes, you see…well…"

"Harry and I ran into Luna Lovegood today," Ron took over. "She had this weird slime thing with her."

"That doesn't sound too odd for Luna," Mia stated.

"It isn't, but she said it was for someone in her house, who got himself hurt," Ron continued.

"I don't understand, what does this-"

"He got himself hurt in detention," Harry cut in. "With Umbridge."

The world suddenly stopped abruptly and Mia was surprised she wasn't throw off from the force of it. She instantly understood where this conversation was going, and she felt her entire body turn to ice, a feeling of great dread swelling inside of her. She could feel her panic start to rise inside of her and she gipped the strap of her bag tightly, subconsciously moving her injured hand so it was hidden beneath the sleeve of her robes. Her mind started going in a million different directions and it took everything she had to keep herself calm and collected.

"In detention?" Mia said, her voice miraculously even. "I wonder how he managed that…"

"Luna didn't say, although she mentioned that whatever it was it reduced him to tears," Harry said as he stood up from the loveseat. "And it happened just from doing lines, no less."

The suspicion in his voice was too much for Mia to bear and she forced herself to sigh as she shifted where she stood, playing with the hem of her sleeve.

"Well, whatever happened I'm glad that Luna had something for him," she said in what she hoped was an offhand tone. "He could have just fell or something."

"I hardly doubt someone would cry over falling down, Mia," Harry argued.

"Mia," Hermione said, standing to her feet too and a look of foreboding on her face. "Is there something you're not telling us? About what's happening in detention?"

The panic was getting worse by the second and Mia frowned, her left arm glued to her side as her posture stiffened.

"If this is about last night Harry, I told you I'm fine," Mia said.

"Then why were you crying?" he asked.

"What?"

"Your eyes are all red, and I know you didn't run into Peeves last night, because I found him today, and he told me."

"I'm fine," Mia repeated, her voice finally starting to tremble. "I don't know what's wrong with you guys, but I'm not staying around to—"

"Stop lying to us, Mia!" Harry exclaimed, startling Mia into silence. "Tell us the truth—is she hurting you?"

"Harry, please…"

"Mia, you have to tell us," Ron interjected with a serious expression. "We're your friends, don't you trust us?"

"Of course I do, I just—I just can't—"

"Can't what?" Ron said. "Just say it."

"It's not a big deal—"

"Not a big deal?" Harry said, his eyes narrowing. "Mia, if someone leaves Umbridge's office in tears and needs healing potions I'd say that's a big deal! You need to tell us the truth, and no more lying. I thought we could tell each other everything? I thought we trusted each other, but you didn't—"

 _"She would have done it to you!"_ Mia shouted, her emotions getting the best of her and their accusations ripping open what she had tried so desperately to keep closed. "I did it to protect you, I couldn't let her hurt you! I couldn't!"

There was silence after she spoke and she glared at them all, her eyes starting to well with tears yet again and her breathing becoming a little ragged. They didn't understand! They just didn't!

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said quietly, her face going pale. "Mia…what has she done to you?"

Mia looked away from them, the tears making their way down her cheeks and her glare faded as she realized that this was it. She couldn't hide from it anymore and she barely had time to prepare herself before Harry started walking towards her and she involuntarily took a step back. She could tell he was still angry, but as he looked at her she also saw the deep worry and concern she didn't deserve.

"What did she do?" he whispered. Mia just looked into his eyes for a moment before slumping her shoulders, letting her bag fall to the floor. Moving very slowly, she raised her left arm and held it out high enough so her sleeve would fall down and the others could see, while taking her wand out of her pocket. She hesitated, wishing that there was some way out of this situation, but she knew it was pointless. Harry, Ron and Hermione were relentless in their own way, and she knew that now since they know something happened, they wouldn't rest until they got it out of her. With trembling lips, Mia waved her wand over her left hand and muttered the counter-spell that would vanish the effects of the glamour charm. She turned her burning eyes to the ground as she heard Ron let out a choked gasp and Hermione let out a sharp yelp of horror as she let them gaze upon the fresh, bleeding, tender cuts that were forever engraved into her skin. Harry was silent and she refused to look up at him, fearing what his expression would be.

"Mia," Hermione whimpered, her voice thick with oncoming sobs. "Oh _Mia_ …"

"What the bloody hell—how—what—" Ron stuttered.

"Blood quills," Mia said quietly, her tears falling onto the carpet. "Whatever you write gets cut into your skin and you end up writing in your own blood. It faded away at first, but after that first week…it will never go away now. It's a permanent scar."

It was quiet for a good ten seconds before Ron exploded with an array of well-chosen curses and Mia could hear Hermione crying. While Ron was ranting in rage, Mia suddenly felt gentle hands take hold of hers and she gasped in pain and flinched.

"It's that bad?" Hermione said from right in front of her.

"I usually have a healing balm I would put on it the morning after to help with the pain, but Umbridge found it in my bag and took it," Mia said.

"That old beast!" Ron yelled, pacing back and forth and looking angrier than Mia had ever seen him. "How dare she! She made you cut your hand and write in your own blood all this time?! Why didn't you tell us?!"

"I couldn't…"

"Yes you could have!" Ron said. "Mia, what the bloody hell is wrong with you? This isn't discipline, it's torture! That—(he called Umbridge something that would make a nun faint)—thinks she can get away with this? Oh you just wait, the next time I see her, I'm gonna—"

"Ron, please stop," Mia begged.

"No, I won't! If she thinks she can hurt my friend she has another thing coming!"

"You can't—"

"Harry…"

Mia and Ron's argument was cut short at Hermione's soft, yet fearful voice. Mia moved her gaze from Ron over to Harry, who has been completely silent this whole time. She felt her stomach drop as she looked at him and she understood why Hermione sounded so scared. Harry was staring at the bloody words on Mia's hand, his body rigid and his entire aura throbbing with undeniable rage and loathing. His green eyes were set aflame, practically shooting sparks, and his face was twisted into something ugly. His lips were close to being pulled into a snarl, his eyebrows furrowed and the intensity of his glare could make grown men shake in their boots. Harry seemed beyond angry…he looked downright murderous.

"Harry," Mia whispered. "Harry…"

Harry didn't answer her. Instead, his eye flickered towards the portrait entrance, and Mia somehow knew what he was thinking. Desperate, she placed her hand on Harry's arm, shaking her head.

"Harry, no," she pleaded. "Don't."

Harry looked back at her and she had to suppress a shiver at his hardened gaze. The anger was so apparent it made her fearful…of him. After all this time, after all they've been through, Mia found herself afraid of him, something she never dreamed would be possible. The air was so tense you could cut straight through it, and after a minute Harry shook his arm out of Mia's hold, stepping away from her. There was a shift in his stare and Mia felt a ball of ice settle in her stomach. He was angry with her. So very angry with her. Without a word, Harry turned around and then stormed over towards the door leading to the boy's staircase. He yanked the door open and then slammed it shut behind him, and as he did, a nearby vase exploded, shattering to pieces as they scattered across the room. Mia stood there, the tears falling down her face faster than before, her heart crumbling inside her chest as she stared at where Harry went through the door. She looked back over at Ron and Hermione, her voice quivering horribly as she spoke.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry."

Not wanting to see their disapproving looks, Mia turned from them and ran over to the door that would lead up to the girl's dormitories and fled out of sight. The tears blurred her vision as she ran up the stairs, the pain in her chest never ceasing and by the time she reached the room for the fifth years, all she wanted to do was sink into the ground and disappear forever. She hurried over to her bed, drew the curtains around her and managed to cast a silencing charm around her before she fell onto her mattress, hid her face in her pillow and sobbed her heart out, at last finally feeling the consequences of her actions.

…

Mia could barely sleep at all that night, and she found herself wide awake as the sun was beginning to rise, it's light filtering in through the windows. She laid down on her bed, her cheeks stained with dried tears and she cradled her injured hand to her chest, the words having stopped bleeding sometime in the night. As the hours of the morning dragged on she figured she couldn't lay there any longer, so she sat u from her bed, removed the silencing charm that was used to quiet her sobs and carefully poked her head out from behind the curtains of her four-poster. Everyone else in the dorm was still asleep, and when she looked over at Hermione's bed, she saw that she had her curtains drawn as well. Moving quietly, Mia left her bed, grabbed a fresh outfit for the day, and went over to the showers, suddenly desperate to feel the hot water on her skin. She took her time while in the shower, although the relaxing sensation of the water ding nothing to help with her sadness and gloom.

Her secret was finally revealed, and her friends now know what has been happening during her detentions with Umbridge. What was going to happen now? She didn't want to think about it at all, but she knew this was something she could no longer avoid. When she was through washing herself, she finally got out of the shower to dry herself off before putting on her clothes, wincing whenever she brushed up against her hand. She left the room with a frown on her face but she was surprised to see that she was no longer the only one awake. Hermione had pulled her curtains back a little and was sitting cross-legged on her bed, still in her pajamas and holding a small bottle in her hands.

"Come sit," she said softly, so as not to wake the other girls. Mia stood there for a moment before complying, walking over to Hermione and sitting down opposite of her, making herself as comfortable as possible as the bushy-haired witch used her wand to shut the curtains all the way closed again, muttering her own silencing spell. When that was taken care of, she looked at Mia with a peculiar mixture of sternness and concern.

"Let me see," she said firmly. Mia, knowing what she wanted, held her hand out for Hermione to take. There was a minute of silence between them as Hermione gazed down at the red words on Mia's skin. Then, she opened up the small bottle she was holding and took a handkerchief from her bedside table. She carefully soaked one end of the handkerchief with whatever was in the bottle and then gently dabbed at the words. Mia hissed at the sudden burning feeling but Hermione held her hand still.

"It's going to sting for a bit," she told her. "It's probably not as good as the balm you had, but it'll do until we can make some more."

Mia just nodded as Hermione continued to tend to her hand, dabbing at it with the outmost tenderness.

"Did she threaten you if you told anyone?" Hermione asked.

"No," Mia replied, not wanting to hold back from her best friend.

"But she threatened us, didn't she?"

"Not you all specifically, just…"

"Just Harry," Hermione finished, moving her gaze to meet Mia's. "That's why you took the detention for him the second time, wasn't it?"

"She wanted me to go running for help," Mia said sadly and shamefully. "She wanted Harry to know what she was doing so he would get angry and do something that would cause even more trouble for himself. I guess after a while when she saw I wasn't going to say anything, if Harry acted up she wanted to make sure I got the brunt end of it, hoping I would break because she knew that I would rather go through this again and again if it meant keeping you guys from going through it. She said Harry needed to learn that if he was going to bring himself down then he would bring down those who supported him as well. She wanted to use me to get to him, and I…I couldn't let that happen."

"Why not McGonagall? Or another teacher?"

"Umbridge was handling a disciplinary matter in her own classroom," Mia replied. "I didn't think there was much anyone could do about it, especially if she was backed up by the ministry and I didn't want her to see that she got to me, or that her plan worked. And after she was made High Inquisitor, I knew there wasn't much that could be done to stop her."

Hermione was silent at this, but after a moment Mia saw her big brown eyes become a bit shiny and her friend moved her gaze back down to her hand.

"You should have told us, Mia," she said. Just from her tone alone, Mia's heart clenched and she had to keep her own tears at bay as she hung her head.

"I know," she mumbled. "I'm sorry, Mione."

The two girls sat there quietly for a little while longer while Hermione took care of Mia's hand, and when she was done, Mia flexed her fingers a bit, thankful that some of the pain was gone. Feeling the need to move, she turned away from Hermione and got up from the bed.

"Thanks Hermione," Mia said as she pulled back the curtain and went over towards her own bed, putting on her school robes and bending down for her bag, which had been left at the foot of her bed, probably by Hermione.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"To wait for Harry," Mia answered. "I need to talk to him."

"Mia, I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Hermione protested.

"Hermione I know I made a big mistake, and I need to try my best to make up for it," Mia said as she grabbed her wand. With a simple wave, she cast the glamour charm to conceal the words, making Hermione frown deeply.

"No, Hermione," Mia said before she could even say anything. "You three knowing is one thing, but I'm not ready for the entire school to know."

Without another word, Mia left the dormitory and went down the spiral staircase into the common room. There was a huge part of her that didn't want to do this, but she knew she had to face Harry sooner or later. She knew he was angry, and she knew what she did was wrong but she had to talk to him. Even if they were poor, she had to explain her reasons for lying. She was prepared to wait for him in the common room for as long as she had to, but when she reached it, she saw that there was no need. When she opened the door, she found Harry already sitting in the common room, still in his sleeping clothes and staring into the fireplace even though the flames had long since gone out. At the sound of her entering the room, he turned his head towards her and Mia could still see the lingering anger that was in his eyes. She doubted that he got much sleep either. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Mia slowly started walking over towards him.

"Harry," she said quietly. "Can—can we talk?"

Harry was silent as he turned away from her and stared back at the fireplace.

"Harry, please, look at me," Mia said. "Let me explain."

"Explain what?" he muttered in a low tone. "How you lied to me for months? How you didn't trust me enough to tell me that you were getting hurt?"

"That's not it, and you know it," Mia argued.

"Then why? Did you honestly think that you could keep on lying without anything coming of it?" Harry asked, turning to face her again with a scowl set into his face.

"She would have done it to you, I had to—"

"You didn't have to," he intercepted. "You should have told me and let me take my punishments."

"She wanted to use me to get to you! Harry with everything that's going on, with the Ministry constantly slandering your name and Dumbledore's, she wanted me to go crying for help to get a reaction out of you. I couldn't bear the thought of you going through that."

"And you think I can?" Harry demanded. "You think I can stand the fact that my best friend was getting her hand sliced open for days on end for my account? You think this is any easier for me? Why couldn't you just tell me? We promised we'd always be honest with each other."

"I didn't want you to get hurt," Mia said, the moisture beginning to build in her eyes.

"But I am," Harry stated bluntly. "I'm not going to let her do this to you again. Ever."

The terrible rage that had been in his eyes the previous night was starting to flare again, and Mia saw his hands curl into fists on his knees.

"I'll make her pay for what she did to you," she heard him whisper.

"Harry, please don't do anything," Mia begged him. "Please."

Harry didn't respond to her. Instead he let out a heavy breath and stood to his feet without saying anything, beginning to make his way over towards the staircase. Mia reached out for his arm as he passed, gently holding it, and not wanting him to go.

"Harry, I know I was wrong, and I know I shouldn't have lied to you," she said. "I never meant to hurt you or disappoint you in anyway, but please believe me when I say I only wanted to keep you safe. I'm sorry, Harry, I really am…"

"Don't," Harry mumbled, carefully pulling his arm out of her hold. "Please, Mia, I just—I just need to be alone for a while."

His words hit her like a ton of bricks and Mia felt the contents of her stomach empty out all at once. She could do nothing but watch Harry as he walked away from her and disappeared behind the door leading up to the boy's dormitories. She just stood there, a couple tears sliding down her face and her feelings of shame reaching an all-time high. After about a minute she felt a hand place itself on her shoulder, but she barely even flinched.

"Mia?" Hermione said, and Mia briefly wondered if Hermione had heard the whole conversation. "Mia, it'll be okay, he just needs a little time."

"I'm feeling a bit hungry," Mia found herself saying, even though she was anything but. "I think I'll head down to breakfast early."

"Mia…"

"I'll see you later, Hermione," Mia mumbled before she walked away and started heading over towards the portrait hole, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

…

The next three days were some of the worst Mia had ever experienced. Things at school went alomg as they always did, but Mia found herself missing the presence of one particular person. She and Harry had been dodging each other a lot, him due to his anger more than likely, and her because of her guilt. After Harry, Ron and Hermione found out her secret, the first lesson they had together, Mia had arrived to class with Hermione to see that Harry was sitting with Ron closer to the front of the class, instead of near the back like always. When they entered, Harry glanced over at her, and just from his expression alone, Mia knew that he still wanted to be alone—or rather have some distance from her. The thought saddened her greatly and with a heavy heart, she and Hermione sat towards the back, with fresh tears in her eyes.

Thankfully, Hermione was taking things rather well, or as well as she could, anyway. It was obvious she was upset with Mia for not telling them the truth and there was the slightest bit of awkward tension, but Mia could tell her friend was trying her best to understand and continue their friendship as it had always been.

"Mia, stop it," Hermione had said to her while they had been walking down to their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. "You don't have to be so timid around me, you know. I'm still not happy with what happened, but I'm not going to shun you. You're still my best friend, and if you ever do something so foolish again I will not hesitate to curse you."

Mia had been stunned and rendered completely speechless at Hermione's words. After about a minute she managed to give Hermione a tiny, sad smile, resulting in the bushy-haired witch rolling her eyes and nudging her shoulder a bit. Ron was another story all together—while Harry silently fumed, Ron had no trouble whatsoever in voicing his outrage at the injustice that had been instilled upon one of his best friends. He kept thinking of ways to get back at Umbridge and he was very close to informing Fred and George, two people Mia most definitely didn't want knowing about this. She had promptly sent a flock of birds at his head when he started to approach his brothers and managed to stop him before he opened his mouth. When he was done being poked at pecked to the amusement of everyone in the common room, Mia had gone up to him and promised him in a hushed whisper that she would come forth about anything else if he kept his mouth shut about her hand. So far he seemed to be agreeing to it, although the way he cracked his knuckle sometimes with that vicious look made her nervous. Although there were times she felt touched when he would casually ask her how her hand was doing.

However when it came to Harry, Mia wished that he would yell at her or something of that nature because his silence and need for distance was hitting her really hard. He wasn't being nasty with her, or openly expressing his hurt, but she could see it in his eyes and in the words he rarely spoke when they were together. This pained her more than anything because while she was in those detentions, she kept telling herself that she was doing this for Harry, but now, no matter how good those intentions may seemed, she knew that it still wasn't right to keep it secret from the people she loved the most. She remembered how Harry had felt this past summer when people had been keeping secrets from him, and now she ended up doing the exact same thing when she told him she wouldn't.

Yet what really scared her was their first defense class after everything that happened. Mia made sure to get there as early as she could so she could take a seat right up front, that way she could intervene if something were to happen. Umbridge was sitting at her desk, wearing her usual sweet smile and pink cardigan and Mia nerves were on end. Time passed slowly as more people entered the room, and soon enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione came in as well. The very second Harry laid eyes on Umbridge, his entire posture and demeanor took on a dangerous vibe. His expression was steadily rising towards lethal, and Mia could see his hand moved closer to his pocket. Fearing that he was reaching for his wand, Mia sent a desperate pleading look to Hermione, shaking her head. Hermione took hold of Harry's arm and pushed him towards the back of the room along with Ron with some difficulty, with Harry trying to move her hand off of him. Umbridge watched all of this and Mia could have sworn a small, triumphant smirk came across her face before she stood to her feet and started the lesson.

"Whoa, what was that about?" Rachel whispered to Mia as she took the empty seat next to her. "Harry looked like he wanted to take her head off."

"Knowing her, it could have been anything," Mia muttered back with an anxious edge to her voice. Throughout the time they were reading from their books, Mia kept an eye and ear out, worried that Harry or Ron was going to try something. Umbridge kept smiling to herself as she graded papers at her desk, never looking up and even humming to herself, which Mia knew would aggravate her friends even more. After a little while, Umbridge finally lifted her head and smiled over at Mia.

"Miss Thatcher?" she called. "Would you please come here for a moment, dear?"

Mia felt her heart drop in that instant, and she didn't dare looking towards the back of the room where her friends were seated. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she stood up from her seat and walked over to stand in front of Umbridge's desk.

"Could you please pass out these assignments for me?" Umbridge asked in her sugary voice. Mia let out a quiet breath of relief.

"Yes, professor," she said as she took the papers from Umbridge's hands. As she turned around to start handing them out, she took a chance and glanced back at Hermione, Ron and Harry. Hermione was seated in the middle, casting anxious looks at the boys, while Ron seemed to be reading from his book with great anger and Harry glared outright at Umbridge, his knuckles white and his eyes narrowed into slits. Mia quietly groaned to herself.

 _This year can't get any worse._

 **Well, what did you guys think? I had gone over this chapter so many times in my head, I'm sure it started hurting at one point, haha, because I wanted it to be just right. To begin with, I know that some characters might seem a little OOC, Iwas just trying to think of how realistic this situation might go. Also, i know some of you have expressed opinions that Mia should have told someone about her detentions and I happen to agree. In the fifth book, I was a little agitated that Harry would continue his detentions just because his pride didn't want to let Umbridge know he got to him, and even so, he couldn't have been the only one to recieve detentions that year, so why didn't anyone else speak up? But, as much as it annoyed me to do so, I made Mia keep her mouth shut because that was the best way to work out the rest of my story, and I'm also trying my best to give Mia more flaws and have her make more mistakes, no matter how illogical they may be. I don't want her to be the perfect OC or voice of reason all the time, she needs to realize that while her intentions were good, she could have made a different approach. Also, as far as Luna goes, I guess the only explanation I can offer is that Luna thinks in a different way than anyone else, and while she may understand Mia's need for her scars to be kept secret, she also knows she can't keep them hidden from those she loves. I think her conversation with Harry and Ron can be considered somewhere between an accident and intentional, if that makes sense.**

 **Anyway, I do hope you all liked this chapter, and I'm looking forward to seeing you in the next one. As a short update, I finished chapter fifteen last night, and I plan on starting chapter sixteen sometime today or tomorrow. Please review and I'll see you later!**


	14. Tragic News and Mistletoe

**Hi everyone. I know that this update is a day late, and I'm sorry about that. My family and I have spent the past four days down in West Virginia, and so with being settled in the middle of the mountains, I didn't have any service or internet connection whatsoever, so it would have been impossible for me to do anything even if I wanted to. We came back yesterday, and our original plan was to be home by five so I would still have time to relax and then post this chapter. But we left later than planned, my relatives down there surprised us with a big breakfast and we stayed with them for a while before we headed out, and it was such an amazing time, I didn't want to leave at all. Anyway, we got home around eight, and I'm sorry guys but I was just so utterly exhausted that I went straight to bed and forgot all about this chapter.**

 **But it's here now, so I hope you can all forgive me for my tardiness. I have to say that this is one of my absolute favorite chapters by far, and I'm sure you'll understand why once you read it. It was very unexpected, and I was going to have something else originally, but I'm hoping you all like this version all the same. I'm so excited to see what you guys think, and if there are any questions, comments, just let me know. You guys have been great with messaging me your support and opinions, and concerns, and they all will be addressed very soon, I promise. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Fourteen: Tragic News and Mistletoe

HarryPOV

The anger Harry felt was almost indescribable. His insides seethed with rage as he glared at the pink toad that had dared to harm someone he cared for with all his heart. The very thought that Mia had suffered at her hand made his blood boil and he wanted to do something, _anything_ , to make her pay. He spent the rest of the defense lesson glaring at Umbridge, breathing heavily through his nose and his hands gripping his book so tight he was sure his knuckles were white. If he disliked Umbridge before, that was nothing compared to how he felt now. The only thing he saw in his mind was the bloody, scarlet red words that were forever carved into Mia's skin, and he didn't want to think about the terrible pain she had to go through writing those words into her hand every night for days. The worst of it was, he was angry with himself just as much as he was with Umbridge. Yes, the wretched witch made her do it, but Mia was also in those detentions because of him. Whenever he got into trouble, Mia stood up for him and challenged Umbridge—more than likely on purpose, now that he thought about it—just so she would take the dentitions for him. Those punishments should have been for him to start with, but she hurt Mia in order to hurt him, and as much as he despised the idea, it worked. It hurt him knowing that Mia foolishly took on whatever Umbridge had in store for her and kept quiet about it.

Why couldn't she just tell him the truth? Yes, he would have been just as outraged as he is now, but at least then they might have been able to do more about it. They could have gone to Dumbledore or any other teacher, and he would have most certainly kept his mouth shut all the times he let his temper get the best of him. Whether or not it was to get some kind of reaction out of him, Harry would not have let it gone past the first night, and he would have tended to Mia's injuries properly, to make sure they didn't scar. Now, she was stuck with them, maybe even for the rest of her life. She kept her pain, Umbridge's cruelty, and the words hidden with nothing more than a Glamour Charm. Didn't she trust him enough to come to him? For weeks he had been kept in the dark, and now months later Mia was doing the exact same thing.

 _"She would have done it to you! I did it to protect you, I couldn't let her hurt you! I couldn't!"_

Damn it all! How could she possibly think she was justified in protecting him when it caused her physical pain?! Doesn't she realize knowing she had gotten hurt on his account and lied about it hurt him even more?! Harry was suddenly jolted out of his thoughts when he felt Hermione poke him in the side and when he turned to face her, she subtly placed a small vial next to his hand on the desk. Harry gave her a look but she just narrowed her eyes at him.

"Drink it or I'll make you," she hissed under her breath. Harry stared at her for another moment before taking the vial in his hand warily. He stared at the liquid inside for a few seconds before realizing it was a Calming Draught. Harry threw a glare over at Hermione, knowing what she was trying to do, and he was about to refuse it when he got distracted by Mia coming up to their desk with the assignments in her hands. She looked at him with anxious, nervous eyes, as if she were walking on eggshells or trying to avoid a landmine.

"Your essay," she muttered softly, placing a piece of parchment in front of him and avoiding his eyes. "You got an E. Good job, Harry…I'm proud of you."

Without another word, Mia turned away and continued handing out the rest of the assignments to their classmates. Harry watched her go, and he could feel a bit of sadness leak into his hate-filled heart. She could barely look at him, and he knew that it was his own fault. For a moment, Harry reflected back to when she finally told them her secret, and the pure fear on her face when she stared at him. He couldn't be certain, but judging by his emotions, he was sure he must have looked murderous to her. The sadness increased when he realized that he actually made her scared of him, and for one horrible second, it made him think of Voldemort, and how his anger stroke fear into people's hearts. No, he couldn't be like that…he _wouldn't._ Harry was still mad at her, but he knew that lashing out from rage wouldn't help, at least not now. Knowing Umbridge, she would find a way to blame Mia and give her even more detentions, and there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen! Not anymore.

Therefore, with a heavy sigh, Harry checked to make sure Umbridge wasn't paying attention before he opened the vial and drank all the contents. He instantly started to feel its effects, warming him from the inside and he breathed deeply, feeling the potion take its toll and feeling his muscles relax. His angry started to fade and his enflamed mind became more clear and focused as he stared from Mia to Umbridge. He swore that she would pay. Somehow, someway, he would make her regret daring to hurt Mia.

…

The following night, Harry hosted yet another D.A meeting and he was very impressed and proud of how far everyone had come since they first started. They have learned quite a few jinxes, counter-curses, the _Levicorpus_ charm, the disarming spell, the shrinking spell, and the shield charm. Everything was coming along rather nicely, and Harry was beginning to think they just might be ready to start practicing the Patronus Charm after the Christmas break.

It was already the beginning of the second week of December, and the term was quickly approaching it's end, which everyone was extremely thankful for. Even if it was only for three weeks, they finally had a chance to get a break from the tremendous load of work they had to endure for the first half of the school year. Instead of essays, charts, readings and quizzes, they can finally look forward to cozy, lazy days at home or, in the case of those staying at Hogwarts, enjoying a marvelous Christmas dinner within the beauty of the Great Hall and snowball fights out on the grounds. Harry himself was eager to get away from it all, seeing as Ron invited Harry to spend the holidays at the Burrow with him and his family, and he even asked the girls to come by sometime over the break. It was sure to be a wonderful time, and Harry was already counting down the days. But for now, they had other things to focus on, and setting up for their last D.A meeting of term was one of them. He and Ron managed to make it to the meeting with about ten minutes to spare, and when he looked around, he saw that Hermione was there with Neville, Ginny, Luna, Alex and his friends.

"Where were you two?" Hermione said.

"Sorry, had to dodge Filch on the way up here," Harry replied. As the minutes went by, Harry saw the other members come strolling in with excited smiles on their faces, but he soon realized there was one face missing from the group.

"Hey Hermione, where's Mia?" Jenna asked, seemingly looking around for her as well.

"She says she's not feeling well, so she's going to have to miss this meeting," Hermione answered.

"Is she all right?" Ron asked instantly. "Is it her h—"

"Her headache, yes," Hermione cut him off loudly, looking as though she wanted to smack him. "She's had it since this afternoon, I told her to take it easy tonight."

"Oh, that's too bad, tell her we hope she feels better," Alex said, looking genuinely concerned. Harry was quiet as they talked, staring at the far wall with a slight feeling of guilt entering his chest. He just saw Mia earlier, she was perfectly fine. Then again, he probably wouldn't really know, seeing as he's been keeping his distance from her for the past few days. His anger and frustration with Mia caused a bit of a rift between them, and no matter how much he was hurting, he knew his actions were hurting her too. He didn't mean to, he just needed time alone to work out his feelings for this. And, ever so kind and faithful, Mia gave him just that no matter how much it upset her. Did he really make her feel as if she wasn't wanted? He knew what Hermione said wasn't true—Mia didn't come because she thinks he doesn't want to see her. And yet, for reasons unknown to him, a part of him feels desperate to see her smiling face now more than ever.

"Harry? Harry, it's time to start," Hermione said to him. Harry shook himself out of his thoughts and brought himself back to the present matter at hand.

"Okay," he said, calling them all to order. "I thought this evening we should just go over the things we've done so far, because it's the last meeting before the holidays and there's no point in starting anything new right before a three-week break—"

"We're not doing anything new?" said Zacharias Smith in an annoyed tone. "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have come…"

"We're all really sorry Harry didn't tell you, then" Fred retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"We can practice in pairs," Harry continued with a smile while everyone else sniggered. "We'll start with the Impediment Jinx, just for ten minutes, then we can get out the cushions and try Stunning again."

Everyone immediately started to divide into pairs and began practicing the jinx on one another. Harry paired up with Neville and was very proud when Neville successfully froze him three times in a row. Neville was by far the most improved, as he could now perform jinxes with no hesitation, cast a good shrinking spell, and was able to accomplish a good stunning spell, although he did miss his target once in a while and hit someone else. Harry could remember how clumsy and nervous he was at first, but after pairing with Mia for a while and having her feed him words of encouragement and advice, he soon got the hang of it. After he and Neville were finished, he left him to practice with Ron and Hermione while he walked around to see how everyone else was doing. They all were casting the jinx splendidly, but despite how proud and happy he was with them, his mind kept wandering back to the one person that was missing this.

No matter what he did, he just couldn't stop thinking about Mia. He wished she was here, seeing her dazzling smile as she cheered Neville on, hearing her laugh as Hermione sent Ron flying backwards with a powerful stunning spell and seeing her beautiful eyes light up in awe as she watched Ginny completely destroy one of the Death Eater dummies with the _Redutco_ spell, reducing it to dust. Just imagining her smile made his heart start to beat faster, and his hands felt very sweaty. He wanted her here, by his side, so he could take her hand, tuck her hair behind her ear, and—

 _Bloody hell, what am I thinking?!_ Harry ceased in his movements as his mind started buzzing, forcing down a lump in his throat. He was doing it again! Lately whenever his mind drifted to Mia, he began having crazy ridiculous thoughts that were just insane. More than once he imagined simply holding her in his arms, like how he always does, but yet somehow different. He wanted to hold her and…and he wanted to kiss her. He remembered that night in the Gryffindor tower when he found her sleeping by the fire on his way to get ready for dinner. She was so peaceful in her sleep, and it had been the second time he felt the urge to kiss her lips, the first time being when they had that unspoken, secret moment in the tower late at night, after detention.

But why? Why was he having such strong emotions concerning his best friend? The girl he had seen as a sister figure for so very long, the girl who took care of him all this time? He's been trying to work it out for some time now, and he even thought that maybe he had caught some kind of sickness that was causing him to lose his mind a little. He thought about his feelings overall when it came to Mia—sure, he loved her, he cared for all his friends, but this was something different somehow to what he felt towards Ron, Hermione, or even Ginny and Neville. When they were together, he felt free to be himself, and he enjoyed it most when he wrapped an arm around her casually or when he would give her piggy-back rides through the corridors, willing or not. And with this issue with Umbridge, he felt an anger that was unlike anything he ever felt before, as if the very thought of Mia being harmed crushed him. Also, when she dated that prat Noah in third year, it agitated him to no end for some reason. At that moment a conversation he had with Ron suddenly popped into his head unexpectedly.

" _I know you're concerned for Mia, Harry but…well—do you think that you might be a little jealous?"_

" _What? Why would I be jealous?"_

" _I don't know. Maybe you like her?"_

Ron's words from so long ago hit him with a tremendous amount of force, yet he somehow still managed to keep his feet planted on the ground. No, that can't be it…it can't be. There was no way that he could be having those kind of feelings for Mia, is there? They've been friends for so very long, moving into that kind of relationship was ridiculous! Yes, she was pretty, quite lovely as a matter of fact, as well as smart, funny, and passionate but he couldn't see himself getting together with her.

 _You're a liar, Harry, and you know it,_ his head whispered to him with an evil snicker. To stress this, Harry suddenly pictured himself taking Mia down by the lake, maybe on some sort of date, and kissing her tenderly on the cheek before moving to her lips…

"Harry? Are you all right?"

Harry was brought back to earth with a most unpleasant thump and he turned his head to see that Cho was gazing at him in concern.

"What?" he said.

"You were just standing there, staring at the wall for a few minutes," Cho told him. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, everything is fine," Harry muttered, his face quickly going red as he looked away and started to walk around again, his mind reeling. No, no, this is wrong! He didn't like Mia! He liked Cho, he's liked her since he first saw her in his third year, when they played against each other on the Quidditch field. She was very pretty as well, popular in her group of friends as well as her teachers and was quite good at flying. Although, now when he thought about Cho, he didn't feel the usual leap in his chest or the tightening of nerves in his stomach like he always did. When did that happen?

 _No, no I can't ruin things between us…I can't like Mia. I can't._

Sooner than he liked to admit, the hour passed by fairly quickly, with everyone basically having perfected the Stunning spell. He told them all that they did great and that maybe when they got back from their holiday they can move onto the bigger stuff. There was a wave of excited murmuring at this, and then everyone started to leave in the usual twos or threes while Harry, Ron, and Hermione straightened up, putting all the cushions away. Harry, still so very lost in his thoughts, took longer to put them away, preferring to gather them himself instead of using his wand. Soon enough, everyone had left, and Harry was left to ponder over everything. However, when he stood up and started to make his exit, he saw that he wasn't alone. Cho was still there, standing not far from him and to his shock, there were tears running down her face in little streams.

"Cho?" Harry said, completely stumped on what to do in this now awkward situation. "What's wrong?"

"I—I'm sorry," she said, wiping at her eyes. "I suppose it's just…learning all this stuff…it just makes me wonder whether—if _he'd_ known it all, he'd still be alive."

A small part of Harry sank right down into the floor and probably all the way down into the dungeons. Of course, Cho wanted to talk about Cedric, and Harry dreaded it. Cedric's death was still a very sensitive subject for him—he barely even talked about it with his closest friends—and he wanted to avoid it as much as he could. He didn't want to remember that night, when he saw Cedric's confused and scared face when they saw what was waiting for them in the graveyard.

"He did know this stuff," Harry said, trying to figure out what to say to make her feel better. "He was really good at it, or he never could have got to the middle of that maze. But if Voldemort really wants to kill you, you don't stand a chance."

" _You_ survived when you were just a baby," she pointed out quietly.

"Yeah, well, I don't know how, or why," Harry said. "No one does, so it's not really something to be proud of."

Cho nodded at this and then let out a hiccup.

"I really am sorry to be get so upset like this, mentioning Cedric," she said, taking a few steps closer to him. "I suppose you just want to forget it. You know Harry, you're a really good teacher. I've never been able to stun anything before."

"Thanks," Harry muttered. He was beginning to feel more and more awkward as Cho walked even closer to him, smiling at him sadly yet kindly. Even though her eyes were red, she was still pretty, her dark eyes gleaming because of her tears and her hair framing her face nicely. Harry suddenly felt the greatest urge to run for it, to get away, but he felt too frozen to move an inch, and his heart was pumping painfully in his chest, while his head was screaming at him to get a move on.

"Mistletoe," Cho said softly, pointing to the ceiling over Harry's head.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Probably full of Nargles though."

"What are Nargles?"

"No idea…you'd have to ask Loony. Luna, I mean."

Cho managed a weak laugh at that, and Harry saw that she was much too close now, their faces barely inches apart.

"I really like you, Harry…"

She was close now, so very close, and Harry found himself wishing for some distance between them. At that very moment, just as he was sure she was about to close the gap, Harry heard a loud creaking noise, and from the corner of his eyes, he saw the door to the Room of Requirement being opened and in the next second he heard a quiet gasp. He and Cho turned their heads, and he was surprised and –pleasantly—stunned to see that someone had entered the room. And not just anyone, but the very person he had been missing the entire night.

Mia was standing in the doorway, one hand resting on the handle and her usual bright eyes dulled as she stared blankly at him, her lips pressed together and clutching a book to her chest. There was a look of utter gut wrenching sadness on her face and Harry wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor. He wanted to go to her, tell her it wasn't what she thought, and that he was happy to see her. But her expression was enough to hold him in place and have him fumble over what to say.

"I—I'm sorry," Mia said, her voice low and hollow. "I didn't mean to interrupt…"

"Oh, hello Mia," Cho said as she wiped away at her eyes and took a couple steps back away from Harry, seeming just as surprised as he was at what had just happened, or rather, almost happened. "We heard that you were sick. Are you feeling better?"

"Not really," Mia said. "I just came to speak with Harry."

"Oh, well, I don't want to get in the way. I should probably go," said Cho, her face a little pink as she walked away from Harry and past Mia on her way out the door. "Thanks for listening, Harry."

With that being said, Cho was gone, leaving Harry and Mia alone in the room and lapsing into an extremely awkward silence.

"It seems I missed more than I thought tonight," Mia muttered. In any other situation, she would have said it jokingly, smirking at him with that playful glint in her eyes, forever teasing him as always. Yet now, she said it with disdain and something sounding too much like hopelessness, or defeat, something that made Harry confused.

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry, I think it's quite obvious that you were about to kiss her," Mia said with a frown. "And I'm pretty sure I just ruined it."

"No, no, I wasn't—I mean, I—she was—"

"Just forget it, Harry, it's none of my business to pry into anyone's love life," Mia cut in, her voice taking on an irritated tone as she came inside and shut the door, her eyes firm as she marched up to him. "And that's not what I came here for, anyway—we need to talk."

"About what?" Harry asked, although he already knew all too well.

"About Umbridge and my hand," Mia answered bluntly.

"We already talked about that," Harry said, his own voice getting an edge and a frown appearing on his face as well.

"No, you talked and berated me while I tried to explain," Mia corrected angrily. "The last time I checked, a conversation goes both ways, evenly. You know I never meant to hurt you or make you feel like I betrayed you, but I only wanted to keep you safe from whatever Umbridge had in store for you."

"Your argument's kind of one-sided, isn't it?" Harry said. "What makes you think I can't sit back and take it but you can? You say you didn't want to hurt me but you did anyway by lying."

"And you know how sorry I am about it, and how awful I feel!" Mia said in frustration, taking a step closer to him. "It killed me keeping something like that from you."

"Then why did you?" Harry retorted in anger, stepping closer as well, his eyes narrowed and he could feel his cheeks becoming warm. "You're insane if you think that taking on my punishments was going to make it any better."

"Well tell me this, Harry, what would you have done if you had received the detention?" Mia snapped. "I know you too well, you would have taken it just to prove to Umbridge that you wouldn't crack, that she wouldn't get to you! You would have kept it to yourself and you know it! So don't stand there and be a hypocrite!"

"This isn't about me!" Harry said.

"You sure could have fooled me, with the way you barely even look at me," Mia countered, and Harry could see that her eyes were suddenly glossy-looking. "I know I hurt you by lying to you all this time, and I know that it was a mistake, but you cannot imagine how sorry I am for all of it. I am sorry for lying, not confiding in you, but you listen to me loud and clear Harry Potter—I am _not sorry_ I took those detention for you, and I would do it again if I had to!"

At this point Mia was breathing more heavily, her face flushed red in her anger and glaring at him with extreme heat.

"How long do you intend to shun me for this?" she continued, a bit of hurt mixing in with the anger. "You have a right to be angry but I have a right to care for you and try my best to make sure no one hurts you, just like you would have done for me! You are being so ignorant and selfish, thinking you're the only one upset—"

Harry couldn't take it anymore! Their voices were raised so loud they were bouncing off the walls, his hands were stiff at his sides, and his emotions were currently on a wild roller coaster ride, reaching to a point where they were about to burst out. Before Mia could say another word or before he could think about it, he stepped forward to close the gap in between them, took hold of her face firmly yet gently in his hands, and brought her face to his as he pressed his lips against hers.

Harry was positive that nothing in the world could feel as amazing as this. The second their lips connected, his heart went still for a good few seconds before rapidly picking up speed to a point where it hummed like the engine of a race car. A blissful, warm feeling spread through him, making him feel as light as a feather, and he was sure there was a ringing in his ears. Mia's lips were soft, warm, and inviting, something he never before would have imagined himself thinking. Joy and serenity such as he never knew washed over him and he found himself reveling in it. No matter how many times he had fantasized, or wondered what this could feel like, it was nothing compared to the real thing. Mia had squeaked in shock and surprise when he kissed her, and he could feel the muscles in her body tense. For a moment it seemed as though she had frozen over completely, becoming as still as a statue and unable to do anything.

Then, to his astonishment, he began to feel her relax and respond to his kiss. Her muscles became more loose, and he could have sworn he heard her hum quietly. He felt her place her hands at his sides and moved even closer to him, pressing back against his lips. His insides leaping and doing backflips in his stomach, Harry moved his hands so they were gently cupping her face, the tips of his fingers finding themselves within her soft hair and suddenly surrounded by the scent of the perfume on her skin. How long they were embraced like this, Harry honestly couldn't tell, nor did he care, but all too soon they broke apart and slowly drew away from each other, the two of them breathing heavily, but quietly. When she opened her eyes, Harry found himself lost in her beautiful blue orbs and they were shining with something he had never seen before. However, after a few more seconds passed, their eyes widened unanimously, and he felt as though a wrecking ball just came crashing into him. The two of them looked like deer caught in headlights and the happy feeling that consumed him only a minute ago was being replaced by panic.

 _Oh no, what have I done?!_ Harry pulled his hands back from her face as Mia wordlessly moved back, staring at him as though she had never seen him before, but with her fingers going to her lips, as though she wasn't sure what she just did. Her cheeks were still flushed, but for a completely different reason this time, and Harry knew he was no better. Before he could blink, Mia spun around on her hell and then dashed out of the room, without so much as a glance back in his direction. He silently watched her go, wishing more than anything that a bolt of lightning would strike him where he stood. He was at war with himself, with one part still floating from the intimate moment they just had, and the other mentally beating the life out of him for the little stunt he just pulled. Despite how he felt, something in his stubborn brain clicked and he could actually see for the first time why he was feeling like this. His loyalty to her, his need to protect and comfort her, his happiness that surrounds her and his rage for her injustice was more than what he believed it to be and it scared him as well as elated him.

He liked Mia. Not just as a friend, but as something more…way more. And the subconscious part of his mind told him he might have just ruined it all.

MiaPOV

Mia flew down the corridor, running past windows, sits of armor and the many paintings that adorned the walls, her heart beating to wildly in her chest she was worried she would faint from the intensity of it. Disbelief was swelling inside of her like a giant hot air balloon, threatening to lift her up into the sky and she moved even fast until she finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Good gracious child, what happened?" the Fat Lady asked, startled at Mia's sudden appearance.

"Lunas Lotus!" Mia gasped out, not finding it in herself to say anything else at the moment. The Fat Lady stared at her in curiosity for a second before swinging open to allow her entrance. Mia rushed forward and kept her head down, not wanting anyone to take notice of her.

"Mia, darling!" Fred called cheerfully the moment she stepped inside. "Come join us, we think we finally figured out that blueberry experiment!"

"No thanks, Fred," Mia said as she moved over to the girl's staircase, and cursing how high her voice sounded. "Maybe later."

"Mia?" Ginny said from where she was sitting with Hermione and Ron. Mia didn't answer her, only picking up the pace as she opened the door to the stairs and disappeared behind it. She practically ran up the steps, taking two at a time until she made it all the way up to the girl's dormitories, hurrying inside where she clamored up onto her bed, and then slumped onto her mattress. It was then that she buried her face into her pillow and groaned loudly.

"Merlin's beard, what have I done?!" she yelled into her pillow. "How could I do that?!"

"Do what?"

Mia looked up to see that both Hermione and Ginny had followed her up to the dormitories, the two of them entering with confused and concern looks on their faces. They came over to Mia's bed where Hermione sat down next to her head and Ginny sat by her feet.

"Mia, are you okay?" Hermione asked in worry. "What happened?"

Mia just groaned and shut her eyes, burying her face into her pillow once again.

"What's wrong? Did something happen with Harry?" said Ginny.

"Harry?" said Hermione.

"Yeah, Mia went to go talk to him while we were coming back from the meeting," Ginny explained. Mia simply groaned again at this, gripping her pillow tightly in her hands. She looked up into her friends' faces, rising her head ever so slightly from its hiding spot, knowing that she more than likely resembled a bright tomato. Hermione still looked worried, but Ginny on the other hand went wide eyed at Mia's expression and after a moment a wicked smile came across her face.

"My, my, Mia you do look rather flustered," Ginny remarked, and Mia felt dread enter her stomach as a knowing spark flashed through the red-head's eyes. "It's all very familiar, wouldn't you say Hermione?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione said, looking back and forth between the girls, utterly lost.

"Mia's face is very red from embarrassment, she's acting more shy than usual, and from what she was shouting, I'd say she's done something rather unexpected," Ginny said. "It's sort of like how you were when you came back from your private chat with Viktor after the second task last year, isn't it?"

Mia was horrified—last year after Viktor had pulled Hermione from the Black Lake in the second task, he had taken her off to the side to speak with her in private, and when Hermione came back, she was so red she could have been mistaken for having sunburn, a bit timid yet all smiles. Mia and Ginny immediately knew what must have happened, although they never brought it up, at least not in public. Now, at Ginny's words Hermione's own eyes widened as realization hit her head on and Mia hid her face away again, wanting to disappear right then and there.

"Mia," Hermione muttered slowly while Ginny looked positively gleeful. "Did—did something happen between you and Harry?"

Lifting her head once more, all Mia had to do was give them a guilt-filled look and that was it. Ginny let out a loud, almost triumphant laugh, throwing her head back.

"I knew it! Neville owes me five galleons!"

" _Ginny!"_

"Come on Hermione, this is brilliant! We knew this was coming! Mia and Harry kissed—"

"Why don't you just yell for the whole tower to hear, why don't ya?!" Mia hissed, glaring daggers at the youngest Weasley child before her face fell. "Wait—what do you mean you knew this was coming?"

Ginny and Hermione both went quiet at this, glancing at each other before send Mia sheepish smiles, with Hermione fiddling with her hands. Mia slowly sat up until she was seated in between the two girls, unwilling to believe what she was seeing, what they were implying. She was sure some of the color drained from her face and she felt like cold water had been dumped over her head.

"You…you two know, don't you?" she whispered. "

"That you like Harry? Of course we know," Ginny said. "We've known for years."

"But, I…I never told anyone…"

"You never had to," Ginny said with another smirk. "It's kind of obvious."

"What Ginny means is, it's something you never had to express with words," Hermione elaborated, looking at Mia. "Mia, I myself have noticed something for quite some time now. You and Harry have something incredibly special, a bond that is not the same as the relationship you have with me or Ron. You can see it in your face whenever you're near him—you're happy. I mean truly happy, in a way I've never seen you with anyone else. Every time he touches you, you get so shy."

"Whenever he talks to you, you focus in as if he were the only one there," Ginny added.

"And last year, at the Yule Ball, you guys looked like you were made to dance together—"

"Please, stop!" Mia begged, covering her burning face with her hands. "I never wanted anyone to know, much less you guys!"

"Please Mia, I love you, but you make doe eyes almost every time you're near him," Ginny giggled. "I practically had to spell it out when Neville started noticing."

"You what?!"

" _Not helping, Ginny!"_ Hermione said.

"Okay, but seriously Mia, along with seeing how you feel about Harry, we've also seen the fact that you're trying to hide it or ignore it. Why?"

"Because it just wouldn't work," Mia replied, her voice now laced with sadness as she dropped her hands from her face and hung her head a little. "Harry and I have been best friends since we were kids, we're practically siblings! I don't really know where down the line my feelings for him started to change, but they did. I realized it last year, at the ball, and to be honest it makes me scared. You guys don't understand…Harry is The Boy Who Lived, an extremely talented, famous and amazing person who's known by everyone and is like a shining star. But he also happened to be my very best friend, someone incredibly important and special in my life, in ways I just couldn't describe. I don't know what provoked that—that kiss we had, but I'm sure it must be some misunderstanding. Harry would never want someone like me, and I just can't risk damaging our friendship over these one-sided feelings."

It was silent for a moment after Mia spoke and she could feel her eyes becoming a little moist but refused to let any tears fall because she knows what she said is true. Harry is true, brave, powerful and noble, and she's just…Mia. What could she possibly have to offer? Mia was suddenly brought out of her musings by a sharp and painful pinch on her arm. She yelped in surprise and pain and then turned to face an annoyed-looking Ginny Weasley, who had her brown eyes narrowed at her.

"I swear you two are some of the biggest idiots I've ever seen!" she exclaimed.

"I actually might have to agree with her on this, Mia," Hermione stated.

"What?"

"Mia, who initiated the kiss?" Hermione asked, very business-like.

"Well, um," Mia stuttered, her face blushing red. "We were kind of yelling at each other and then—well—Harry, he, um…"

" _He kissed you?_ " Ginny said. "And you still don't—"

"Mia, do you really think it's impossible for Harry not to return your feelings?" Hermione cut in, throwing Ginny a look.

"Yes—no—maybe, I don't know!" Mia said. "I have nothing to offer, what good could possibly come out of being with me?"

"Mia, you are one of the kindest, smartest and bravest girls I've ever known!" Ginny told her fiercely. "You are so compassionate and you don't take anything from anyone. You stand up for your friends as well as your beliefs, and it's like Hermione said, you have a special bond with Harry no one else could understand."

"You bring out the best in him," Hermione added. "I've seen the way he looks at you sometimes."

"How?" said Mia.

"Like all he sees is you," Hermione replied with a sweet smile. "Don't be so quick to assume, you may be surprised. How did it feel to kiss him?"

"It…it felt perfect, and real," Mia answered, a small smile coming back to her face as she thought about the kiss she and Harry shared. "Like nothing the world offered me could be better than kissing him. I was more happy than I ever thought I could be, but also so scared I couldn't think straight. I could barely breathe, but my heart was pounding. It was like I was melting but floating at the same time, and even though it was so sudden, I could have stayed like that with him. When it was over, it took me a second to let it all sink in, and before we could say anything, I ran. Gin, Mione, I don't know what to do. I don't want to like it, but I can't help it."

"Sometimes it can't be helped," Ginny said with a shrug.

"But what if you're wrong?" Mia asked the two of them. "What is he doesn't feel the same? I don't want to lose him."

"Mia, considering how close you two are and everything you've been through together, you will never lose him," Hermione said. "I can only imagine how difficult this may seem, but try not to let it bother you so much. Take things slow, try to work out your feelings and if you want to try being with Harry, than you need to pluck up some of that Gryffindor courage and go for it. Whether he responds negatively or not, at least you'll know."

"I suppose you're right," Mia mumbled.

"Is Hermione ever not right?" Ginny chuckled.

"But guys please, please don't tell _anyone_ about this," Mia begged. "I don't want everyone to know, you four is bad enough."

"Where do you get four from?" asked Hermione.

"Come on, do you really think Harry is not going to talk to my brother about this?" Ginny said. "And don't worry Mia, you know Neville won't say anything. Speaking of which, it's time for me to collect. Mia, don't ever see yourself as unworthy…Harry would be a fool not to take a chance with you."

…

That night, Mia lay wide awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling as the other girls slept peacefully, lost in their own world of dreams. So many things were still running through her mind, it was hard to sort them all out. She felt so very confused, nervous, elated and cheerful, it was enough to make anyone's head spin. Her hand trailed lazily across Sapphire's back as the cat slept against her side, curled up into a ball and purring softly. Mia sighed to herself and once more thought about what had happened only hours ago.

Harry kissed her. Harry actually kissed her, and she kissed him right back. The feeling she had was indescribable, and all she knew was that she wanted to vanish inside the kiss and stay in his embrace for as long as she could. The mere thought of it made her heart leap inside her chest and the fluttering feeling inside her stomach increase ten-fold. It was as if they were concealing in their own little bubble, unaffected by the outside world, although the bubble was instantly popped the second they broke away from each other. Only then did Mia realize what she had done and the first thing that registered in her mind was that she had to get out of there, fast. Since then, she hasn't come down from the girl's dormitories, preferring to stay with Hermione as her friend gave her some more advice on how to handle her feelings for Harry. She was too scared to face him right now, that much she knew, and considering they had been fighting right before kissing, it made the situation more awkward than she wanted it to be. She had gone in wanting to resolve one issue, but ended up creating another.

 _Considering how close you two are and everything you've been through together, you will never lose him_.

Hermione's words ran through Mia's mind, and she sincerely hoped that Hermione was right. As much as she didn't want to, she had to face this sooner or later. There was absolutely no avoiding it now. But how would she approach this? She was still puzzled over why Harry kissed her in the first place. Maybe it was a heat of the moment thing? She doubted it, but what other reason could there be other than he possibly liked her as well? Her heart didn't dare hope too much—there were still things left unsaid and questions unanswered, and she planned on doing exactly as Hermione suggested: taking it slow and seeing where it will lead. There is still that sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, Harry likes her just as much as she likes him. Maybe. Knowing she wasn't going to be getting any sleep anytime soon, Mia sighed again before slowly getting up from her bed, grabbing a book from her bedside table and creeping across the room to the door, thinking that she could sit in front of the fireplace and read for a while until she felt sleepy. She carefully opened the door and slipped out, making sure to close it softly so she wouldn't wake up any of her other dorm mates, even though she would have no problem jerking Lavender out of her slumber. As she started making her way down the spiral staircase, she suddenly heard an unexpected sound. There were two voices further down the stairs and Mia was startled to hear that they belonged to Ginny and Professor McGonagall.

"Come Miss Weasley, there's no time to waste. Your brothers are waiting."

"Professor, I don't understand, what's going on?" Ginny said.

"Come, we must hurry!"

"Professor—"

"Miss Weasley, all I can tell you right now is that your father has been severely injured, and has been taken to get his wounds treated," Professor McGonagall explained in a hushed whisper.

"What? My dad—how—"

"Mr. Potter had a nightmare, and saw it," Professor McGonagall said. "No more questions, we must go…"

Mia froze on her way down the stairs, shock and dread filling her as she listened in on the conversation, and her mouth dropping open slightly. Professor McGonagall sounded very worried and that was something Mia was not used to hearing. If there was any hope of Mia getting any sort of sleep tonight, it was definitely out the window now because the only thing that went through her mind was that Mr. Weasley was badly hurt and somehow, someway, Harry was involved.

 **Sooooo...Harry and Mia kissed. :) Bet some of you didn't see that coming huh? Well, I hope not, I honestly had their first kiss planned out very differently, but as I went along with this story, I realized that I have been absolutely TERRIBLE with dragging out their potential relationship, and it was driving you all crazy. I've come to realize that despite what I originally had planned, you guys have been patiently and impatiently waiting for something to happen between those to, and I've decided it's finally time to give it. I know that their kissed was very random and sudden, but then again, I kinda felt it suited them-they've both been dodging their feelings for some time, some sort of action needed to be taken since their both incredibly hard-headed.**

 **Now, I can't promise that there is any more scenes like this in the next chapter, as they will be trying to figure stuff out, but they only thing I', going to say is you don't know what could happen before this story ends. Again, I apologize for the late update, and I'm sorry it took this long for you guys to have a special HarryxMia moment like this, I really hope you guys liked how I played it out. It's amazing how you can think of a specific moment over and over in your head but it comes out completely different when the time comes. Love you guys, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	15. Blue Christmas

**Hello everyone, and good morning (for those of you who are still in the morning hours). Well, here it is, chapter fifteen, all fresh and ready to go. I just want to say thank you all so much for reviewing the last chapter, I knew you guys would love it. I am sorry it took so long for something to happen between Harry and Mia, and it has been a while since I wrote a chapter that had that big of a reaction. I have many more plans for those two, and I hope you guys like how I map it all out in upcoming chapters.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys do enjoy this chapter, it's not one of the greatest I've ever done, but forewarning, it is pretty emotional. It's something I had planned out for quite some time, and I just hope that it came out as good as I imagined. If there are any comments or questions, you all know what to do, and don't forget to review! I will see you all in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Fifteen: Blue Christmas

MiaPOV

The Hogwarts Express tumbled along the tracks as it moved farther and farther away from the school, making its way back to London to drop off everyone who was returning home for the holidays. The landscape that flew past the windows were painted white with smudges of blue and evergreen popping up here and there, with the sky cloudy and overcast. It was quite a lovely picture and Mia couldn't help but stare at it as she passed, smiling a little at the serenity of it. Despite its negative aspects, winter truly is beautiful in its own way, and Mia loved it. She sat in the compartment, alone for the time being, as Hermione had to do her rounds on the train. She hadn't been gone long, but Mia still hoped she would be done soon because no matter how much she loved the scenery, she didn't like riding alone. This is the first time since she started at Hogwarts that she rode on the train completely alone, even if it was for a little while. Everyone else was sitting with their own group, Neville was sharing a compartment with Hannah Abbott and some of her friends, and Ginny wasn't even here to spend time with.

A frown came across Mia's face as this thought came to mind. Ginny nor her brothers have been seen since Professor McGonagall came to fetch them in the middle of the night, taking them to who knows where. Mia was very concerned, especially since it appeared that Ginny's father has been badly injured, and it made her worry even more because at the time she had no idea how it happened or how severe it was. For all she knew, Mr. Weasley could have been lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life and the mere idea made Mia feel sick. She loved the Weasleys, they are so very kind and caring, she would feel horribly upset if anything were to happen to any of them. What troubled her even more was that Harry seemed to somehow witness this, according to what Professor McGonagall had said. Harry's dreams have always been life-like but how did he manage to see Mr. Weasley being hurt? Were his dreams somehow prophetic? Whatever the case, Mia wished she had went after Professor McGonagall and Ginny to find out, but the news had shocked her so that she didn't move for a couple minutes, and she was sure that McGonagall would have shooed her away and told her to go back to bed anyway. But if Mr. Weasley was hurt, then she was sure Harry and the Weasleys were taken to go see him.

Only hours after Harry and the Weasleys were taken away, all of Mia's concerns and questions were addressed, as she and Hermione had both been called to Dumbledore's office during breakfast. It was there that the Headmaster explained what had happened and confirmed Mia's theory—Harry had a vision while he slept of Mr. Weasley being attacked while he was on guard duty at the Ministry, from the point of view of the attacker, which was a massive, venomous snake. Upon hearing this, Mia had been horrified and her thoughts instantly went to Voldemort because she remembered Harry telling her about the Dark Lord's precious pet snake that was usually by his side. Hermione, of course, was very worried as well and when she asked Dumbledore about Mr. Weasley, he informed them that he had been taken to a magical hospital called St. Mungo's and while he had some serious injuries, he was going to be just fine. If Harry hadn't had the vision and alerted them immediately, then Mr. Weasley wouldn't have been found for hours, and it would've been too late. Hearing that Mr. Weasley was going to be okay made Mia sag into a chair in relief, but there was still some anxiety left in her because Umbridge had gotten wind that Harry and the others had been whisked away in the night right under her nose and had a suspicious scowl on her face when Dumbledore had told her he allowed them permission to go and visit him in the hospital.

Mia sighed as she moved her gaze away from the window and began rummaging through her bag, thinking about drawing for a little while until Hermione came back. Once she had her sketchpad in her lap, she flipped through the many used up pages until she came to a clean one close to the end. She took a moment to stare at the page, wondering what she should draw. Deciding to take a new approach, Mia started drawing a bunch of random, mismatched lines, until they formed some type of shape. She soon lost herself, just as she always dose, and she hummed quietly to herself as she worked. After a little while she realized she was actually drawing a face, and a very familiar one at that. A sudden idea forming in her mind, Mia brought out her pastel colors as well, along with her charcoal pencils and set to work, working out the rest of the face before moving on to the shape of the head and the mop of hair on top of it. It took at least a half hour to finish the head and the facial features, and even longer to work out the shading. The next step was to outline the shoulders and part of the upper body, and before she knew it, her fingers were already becoming smudged and stained. She was so into her work she didn't notice when the door to the compartment slid open and someone stepped inside.

"What are you drawing?"

Mia looked up to see that Hermione had returned and plopped herself down in the seat right across from her. Crookshanks, who had been resting in the corner, instantly came over and started rubbing his head against Hermione's leg, purring loudly.

"It's a surprise," Mia replied with a smile as Hermione gathered Crookshanks in her arms. "It just came to me, and I want to make a project out of it. So no peeking."

"All right, all right," Hermione said, also smiling. "Do you have any specific plans for the holidays?"

"Not really," Mia replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "My family and I are not going to the cottage this year, so it's probably going to be a quiet few weeks at home."

"Really? I thought you went every year?" Hermione said.

"We usually do, but my dad got pulled into something very important at work, and he's working overtime up until late on Christmas Eve," Mia told her sadly. "So we're staying at home this year. But I'm planning on going over to see Mrs. Brugger too, so it won't be too bad, I guess."

"That would be nice, you said she still wasn't feeling so good, I'm sure seeing you would cheer her up some," Hermione put in kindly. "My parents are taking a skiing trip, but it's not really my thing, so I decided to skip it. I told them that everyone who's serious about studying is staying at Hogwarts, and they want me to do well, so they understand. I'm planning on taking the Knight Bus once we leave the station to Grimmauld Place. How about you? When are you going to see them?"

"Well, I'm not sure…"

"Mia, don't tell me you still think Harry doesn't want to see you," Hermione said, exasperated.

"No, I just—it would be way too awkward after what happened between us," Mia muttered.

"But Ron's going g to need all the support he can get, and Ginny too," Hermione stated. "I can't imagine what they all went through, knowing that their father almost died."

"Yeah, I know," Mia said, feeling a little ashamed. "I'm sorry, I just…I don't know what I'm going to do the next time I see Harry."

"Just do what you always do-call him a git, smack him and then sit on him," Hermione said, in such a calm, casual way it made Mia burst out laughing. It took her a minute to calm down and she wiped away the tears from her eyes with a large grin.

"Thanks Mione," Mia said. "I honestly don't know what I would do without you."

"I'd fear for your survival if you were stuck with Harry and Ron all the time," Hermione giggled.

"Good thing you came into our compartment in first year, huh?" Mia asked.

"You always say that. You're grateful that I came in and pretend to resent that Ron did."

"That's because it's true," Mia said, putting every ounce of sincerity in her tone. "I'm not exactly sure what it is that brought us together but I'm glad it did. I really don't know what I would do without you guys."

Hermione smiled softly at her and then the two of them slipped into easy conversation for a little while before Hermione settled with reading a book and Mia continued working on her drawing. The remaining time left on the ride home seemed to pass by in no time at all and before they knew it, the train was pulling into King's Cross Station. Both girls ushered their cats into their carriers before slipping into their Muggle clothing. When they were all set, they joined everyone else out into the corridor and when the train came to a final halt, they went outside onto the platform and over towards the barrier that separated them from the Muggle world. Soon enough it was their turn to go through the barrier and when they received the okay from the guard, they stood shoulder to shoulder and pushed their trunks forward at a steady pace, coming out of the brick wall flawlessly and blending in well with the Muggle crowd. Mia spotted her mother almost at once, waiting of to the side with Brian by her side. The little boy's face perked up instantly at the sight of his older sister and then he came charging at her as fast as his little legs could carry him. Brian latched himself to Mia's legs when he reached her, beaming up at her with a toothy grin and chanting her name over and over. Despite all of this, Mia couldn't help but roll her eyes and bend over to give Brian a tight hug.

"Hey Bry," she said.

"Hi, Mia!" he exclaimed, his eyes bright as he started staring around her. "Mia, where's Harry?"

"I swear, do I mean anything to you?" Mia asked as Catherine came over. "Hi Mum."

"Hello, sweetheart," Catherine greeted warmly, pulling Mia in for a tender hug and kissing her forehead. "We've really missed you."

"Brian makes me think otherwise," Mia stated as the young boy was still looking around for Harry.

"He was excited for the two of you to come home, he wouldn't stop telling his friends how he couldn't wait for his big sister to get back from school. Where is Harry, by the way?"

"Ron had a family emergency so he had to leave a little early, and Harry went with him," Mia answered, giving her mother a pointed look. Catherine seemed to understand that this wasn't the best place to talk about it and nodded.

"Well, I do hope everything is all right," she said. "Hermione, how are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you Mrs. Thatcher," Hermione replied. It wasn't long before they all had to leave. Mia made sure to give Hermione an extra tight hug and promised to write her soon. With that being said, Mia left the train station with Catherine and Brian, her brother looking a little put out that he didn't get to see Harry but he perked up again when Mia offered him some magical candy when they got into the car.

Soon enough, Mia was walking through the front door of her house on Privet Drive with a smile on her face. As much as she loved Hogwarts, she was truly home now. Catherine had put up all the Christmas decorations they had that wasn't over in their cottage in Peddleton, and from the moment they walked in, Mia could smell the scent of the peppermint and vanilla candles that filled the front room with an enticing perfume. Even though it wasn't lit up get, the Christmas tree glittered splendidly in the corner, with a bunch of wrapped presents sitting underneath it.

"Look Mia, Mummy put out all the presents, but she said I can't open them yet," Brian said with a small pout.

"Don't worry Bry, if you wait just a little longer than Father Christmas will bring his presents too, and then you'll have even more to open."

"Really? Cool!" Brian said. "Mia, Daddy got me a new train, do you want to play?"

"Brian, Mia just got home, why not let her rest for a little while?" Catherine said. "You two can play after dinner."

Brian pouted again and then made his way into the front room where he took off his shoes and started rummaging through his toy box. Mia shook her head at her brother's antics as she took off her coat and put it on the hanger.

"Hey Mum, where's Dad?" she asked.

"He's working, he won't be home until late," Catherine replied, and Mia thought she heard a bitter edge to her voice. "I tried convincing him to come home on time, seeing as today was the day you'd be back from school, but heaven forbid they can do anything without him at the office."

"Oh," Mia muttered, feeling slightly put out that her father wasn't here to see her, but she knew his work was important, and she'd get to see him soon. "It's all right Mum, I'll get to see him later, unless you're planning on making him sleep out on the porch in the snow? That's kind of mean."

"Knowing my luck he'd find a way back in," Catherine chuckled with a shake of her head. "If there's one thing about your father, he is persistent. Now, why don't you go on and unpack sweetie, while I get dinner started."

Mia agreed and then set off dragging her trunk upstairs and into her bedroom, where she let Sapphire out of her carrier before promptly flopping backwards onto her bed, sighing softly to herself as she sunk into her mattress. It really is good to be home, after the stressful term she just experienced. For the first time ever, she wasn't too keen on going back to school when the time came, and she detested the feeling. Still, while she was home she had better make the most of it. She was positive that Brian was going to want to spend all of his time with her, but she didn't mind, at least not too much. Most times it was annoying having him follow her around like a shadow, especially in the summer, but she understands that he misses her. Mia briefly wondered if he had any more experiences with accidental magic while she was gone, and made a note to ask her mother about it. However, in the meantime, she forced herself to sit back up and start unpacking, knowing that she would be too tired to do so after dinner.

Later that night, after a delicious meal was eaten and Brian fell asleep on the loveseat after dragging Mia to play with his new toys, Ben finally came home, looking very tired and his shoulders slumped. However, his face broke into a happy smile when he saw Mia reading by the window and despite knowing how childish it may have seemed, Mia jumped up from her spot and sprinted over towards Ben to wrap her arms around his waist, letting out a tiny giggle. Ben hugged her back just as tight, kissing the top of her head and lifting her off her feet.

"Hey, princess," he muttered. "It's good to see you, love."

"You too, Dad," Mia mumbled into his shirt. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too, I'm sorry I wasn't there with your mum to pick you up," he said apologetically.

"It's okay, you're here now," Mia told him with a smile, gazing up at him with the bright blue eyes they shared. "Mum was thinking about changing the locks, but I talked her out of it."

"I appreciate that," Ben chuckled, giving her an extra squeeze before letting go. "She hasn't been very pleased with me for all the extra hours I'm putting in. But I promise, after Christmas I'll take some more time off to spend with you and Brian. Where is he?"

"He got about three cookies in after dinner and then passed out on the loveseat," Mia replied, pointing over to the pair of legs that were dangling over the arm. "Mum says you better plan on joining him if you wake him up."

"Quite the charmer, your mother," Ben said with an amused grin. "Where is she?"

"Cleaning up the kitchen," Mia answered. "Just make sure I'm upstairs in my room before you guys start acting gross."

"Can't make any promises," Ben said with a shrug. Mia made a face at him and then leaned up to kiss his cheek before she grabbed her book, bid him goodnight and started making her way up the stairs. While she walked, she could hear Ben's footsteps going into the kitchen, and the sound of his voice.

"Honey, I'm home," he quietly called out.

"Benjamin Thatcher if you think you can walk in at this hour with all smiles you've got another thing coming!"

Mia laughed to herself and shook her head as she continued going up the stairs. Once she reached her room, she changed into her pajamas and then settled underneath her covers, yawning. So far it had been a nice, quiet evening at home, and she was looking forward to visiting Mrs. Brugger and wishing her a Merry Christmas once she had the chance. With that thought in mind, Mia smiled to herself before delving deeper into her blankets and closing her eyes, almost instantly falling asleep.

…

A couple of days later, Mia was walking through the neighborhood, on her way to Mrs. Brugger's house with her face buried in her scarf and her hat pulled over her ears, trying her best to protect herself from the bitter cold wind that blew in her direction. The streets and sidewalks were covered with snow, but the chill wasn't that bad until the wind hit you, and then you found yourself shivering from head to toe. Mia held a large plate in her hands wrapped in foil, holding the variety of cookies she and Catherine had baked only hours before, and Mia saw it as a perfectly opportunity to go and visit her kind old neighbor.

Being back home has certainly raised Mia's spirits a bit. Usually it was her and her mother during the day while Ben put in long hours at the office, but it was nice just relaxing at home without her shoulders feeling weighed down. Naturally, Catherine and Ben were shocked to hear the news about what had happened to Mr. Weasley but Mia didn't divulge in all the details. She merely told them that Mr. Weasley was doing some rounds at work and he had encountered an escaped creature, and that he had been taken to the hospital to treat his wounds. They wanted to visit him and Mrs. Weasley to offer their support, as did Mia, but they agreed to wait just a little while and send a message, to make sure it was safe to go. Mia wasn't sure how she was going to send a message, seeing as she didn't have an owl, but she swore that wouldn't stop her from checking in on her friends. Ron was like a brother to her in everything but blood, and she would be damned if she didn't find some way to be there for him and his family, who have been nothing but kind and open to her.

For now, Mia was making good time with her holiday, and she was excited to get to see Mrs. Brugger after so long. She made it to the house in record time and made sure to kick the snow off of her boots before she rang the doorbell. She could hear the sound of Mrs. Brugger's voice calling her inside and she wasted no time in opening the door and stepping inside to the feeling of instant warmth, making her sigh. Once she was in, she made sure to wipe her feet before turning into the living room, where she saw Mrs. Brugger using her cane to get up from her favorite armchair.

"Hello, Aggie," Mia greeted as she made her way further into the room, shaking any excess snow off of her shoulders.

"Hello, sweets," Mrs. Brugger said with a beaming smile, her grey eyes twinkling and the lines around her mouth crinkling. "Oh, it's absolutely wonderful to see you again. When did you get home?"

"Only a couple of days ago," Mia replied. "I brought you some cookies, my mum and I made them this morning—I have snickerdoodle, sugar, and peanut butter."

"Bless your heart child, you are a saint. Thank you so much, and thank your dear mother for me as well. I haven't gotten around to baking this year, my hands are hurting a bit more than normal, and I'm afraid I just could handle all that work in the kitchen by myself. Come now, let's go on and help ourselves to these delicious cookies and I'll make us a pot of tea while you tell me all that you've been up to."

"Sure," Mia said with a bit of a forced smile on her lips as she followed Mrs. Brugger into the kitchen. She had prepared herself for the questions Mrs. Brugger would be sure to have about school, and she rehearsed what she was going to say many times to herself, but it still didn't make it any easier to have a conversation of only half-truths with someone she cared for. Mia made herself comfortable at the table while Mrs. Brugger went about preparing the teapot, and she twiddled with her hands a bit, unsure of how to start.

"Is everything all right, sweets?" Mrs. Brugger asked. "You seem troubled."

Mia looked up to meet the aged and concerned eyes of her friend and sighed, knowing that there was really no way around this.

"I got into an argument with Harry and my other friends over something big, and he hadn't talked to me for some time afterwards, and when I tried to talk to him about it, when ended up arguing again, and then out of nowhere he kissed me. I don't know how to feel because it was so very sudden, and he's my best friend, but then again I've been feeling different about him, and my feelings have grown into something else. I loved the kiss, but then again I was scared because I'm not sure what it'll mean for us in the future. What if he regrets it? Was it a spur of the moment thing? I mean, we were under mistletoe, but the way he did it, it surprised me, and like I said, I enjoyed it, very much, but we were right in the middle of fighting when it happened. I don't know if we're still technically fighting or if he's forgiven me, but I haven't seen him since, my one friend had a family emergency, and Harry went with him so I don't know how he feels, if he even feels anything. The whole thing is driving me crazy because I like the idea of the kiss meaning something but I'm scared of losing the relationship we have because I'm overthinking this and misinterpreting something that doesn't even exist."

Mia took a breath after her rant and by the time it was over, she had one hand resting against her head and she was slightly slumped over the table, suddenly tired. Mrs. Brugger stared at her with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before she turned back to her stove and turned on the burner. She then began rummaging through her cabinets and Mia saw her get out a bag of marshmallows.

"Forget the tea dear, this calls for some hot cocoa—with _extra_ marshmallows," the old woman stated. "Now, first thing's first…that boy finally worked up the nerve to kiss you, eh?"

Mia's bright red cheeks was answer enough, and Mrs. Brugger chuckled at her as she prepared their mugs.

"We were under mistletoe," Mia tried defending again. "But he just…"

"Well, from what I'm hearing, you experienced an act of great passion," Mrs. Brugger observed. "Human emotions are a mysterious thing dear, they can switch from one to another quicker than the blink of an eye, for the most unlikely of reasons. I'm sure you yourself have experienced times when you were so angry you wanted to scream, but in the next moment you're left feeling suddenly saddened to a point you wanted to cry. It's not any different for feelings of joy, or love. They spring upon us so quick most times we don't know what to do about it. I'm positive that if you two were standing there yelling at each other, something must have flared up in him to want to kiss you right then and there."

"But Aggie, I don't know if he even wanted to," Mia told her.

"Mia, why else would he do it? I knows boys can be a frustrating headache most times, but I think I know about them well enough to know they just don't spontaneously kiss their friends unless a part of them wants to, even if it's a small part. Not that I blame him, giving how lovely you are."

"Aggie…"

"Sweets, you don't see yourself properly," Mrs. Brugger said as she came back over to the table with their mugs and placed Mia's down in front of her. "You are beautiful, very intelligent, and have a good head on your shoulders, which is more than I can say about other girls your age around here. He would be crazy not to want you, which I'm sure he does."

"My friends say the same, but I'm just not sure," Mia muttered, tracing the rim of her mug with her finger. "He could do better. And after our fight…"

"What exactly was the fight about? Surely nothing so horrible it would make him never want to associate with you again?"

"I would really prefer not to say," Mia replied sadly. "I lied, and he was so angry with me, he wouldn't look me straight in the eye for days, but now with all this, I don't know if he still cares."

"You youngsters are so oblivious, you might as well be wearing blindfolds," Aggie said, shaking her head and placing both hands on top of her crane. "Honey, I've only met the boy a couple times and I know there is nothing in this world that will make him stop caring for you, after all you've told me about him. And what's this rubbish of him deserving better? You show me a young girl who is as compassionate, headstrong and selfless as you and I'll eat my hat! But more importantly Mia, how do you feel about him? Not what you think you _should_ feel, but how you _truly_ feel?"

For a moment Mia lost herself in the memory of the kiss she shared with Harry underneath the mistletoe and she smiled.

"I see him as much more than a friend," she admitted. "When he kissed me, it was nothing like I experienced before. I'm pretty sure a volcano could have erupted right behind us and I wouldn't take notice, and my heart was beating so fast, because I felt so…happy."

"There now, that wasn't so hard," Mrs. Brugger said sweetly. "Now you just have to work on building up the courage to tell him this yourself."

"Aggie, do you really think there's a chance he feels the same?" Mia asked, daring to hope.

"You'll never know unless you try," Mrs. Brugger answered before she suddenly started coughing, her shoulders shaking from the fierceness of it.

"Are you okay?" Mia asked in concern.

"I'm fine dear, I'm fine," Mrs. Brugger said once she regained her breath. "This cold just doesn't want to leave me alone. Now, let's have our cocoa and cookies."

"Stay here, I'll get it," Mia offered, getting up from her chair and going over to turn off the burning that was making the teapot start to whistle shrilly. "Aggie…thank you for listening. I've thought about telling my parents, but I don't think they'd fully understand, and I know they love Harry, but my dad wouldn't think twice about suddenly feeling the need to sharpen our kitchen knives in front of him."

Mrs. Brugger laughed out loud at that and Mia smiled as well as she brought over the pot and poured them two steaming mugs of cocoa with a mountain of marshmallows on top. She gave Mia some more advice on what to do about her situation with Harry. She suggesting talking to him once more the first chance she had to resolve their fight as well as figure out where they stood as far as their relationship goes, which Mia thought was a lot easier said than done, to which Mrs. Brugger replied that nothing in the world is easy. The conversation moved on to happier topics, such as Mia's work in school. When she told Mrs. Brugger about her indecision of what to do afterwards, the elderly woman reassured her that she still had plenty of time to decide, not knowing that Mia had to think of something relatively soon. She was proud to hear that Mia was doing well in her classes and even laughed when Mia told her about the time Ron's brother's made a mess in one of the teacher's offices just to get back at her for suspending them from the sport's team.

They spent a while just talking in the kitchen and enjoying the cookies together when Mrs. Brugger started coughing again, even shivering a bit this time. Mia suggested they retreat into the living room where it would be more comfortable, and Mrs. Brugger agreed. Mia led her into the room and helped her into her armchair before laying out her throw blanket over her. At one point Mrs. Brugger asked her to turn on the old radio on the corner table, that way they could listen to some music.

"Are you excited for Christmas, Mrs. Brugger?" Mia asked as she turned on the radio, hearing the musical intro to _The Christmas Song_ instantly.

"Not as much as I should be, I'm afraid," Mrs. Brugger replied, and Mia could hear the sadness in her voice. "My son said he wasn't sure if he could make it this year, as his job demands a lot of his time, and my daughter won't be able to fly in until the evening."

"What? That's awful," Mia said. "I don't know what I would do if I couldn't see my family on Christmas."

"A part of getting older means understanding that you can't see your family as often as you want. Although I haven't seen John in so very long, and I do miss my grandson terribly. I'm sure they'll be able to visit soon afterwards."

"But you shouldn't be alone even for one second on Christmas," Mia said, thinking. "Maybe you can come to my house for breakfast, I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind, my mum always makes a lot of food, there'll be plenty, and you can stay until your daughter comes."

"Oh my dear girl, you are so incredibly kind," Mrs. Brugger sighed with a tender smile. "If it is all right with your parents, it would be my absolute pleasure to join you for breakfast. I'm beginning to feel rather tired dear, would you mind reading to me? It's a little tradition I used to do with my family around this time."

"Of course," Mia answered. "What would you like me to read?"

"There's a book with a green cover on the shelf closest to you," Mrs. Brugger told her. Mia walked over to the bookshelf and scanned the titles until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled it off of the shelf and smiled down at the cover.

" _La Belle et la Bete,"_ she read.

"It was Emilie's favorite fairytale. John's too, although he would never admit it," Mrs. Brugger informed her. "We would all read together in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but we haven't done it in so long. Would you mind?"

"Of course not," Mia answered as she took the seat closest to Mrs. Brugger's armchair. Once she was comfortable, she opened the book delicately and turned to the first page. She cleared her throat and then began reading.

" _Once upon a time in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle,"_ Mia started. _"Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was selfish, and unkind. He taxed the village to fill his castle with the most beautiful objects, and his parties with the most beautiful people. Then one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm. As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince turned the woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty was found within._

 _When he dismissed her again, the old woman's outward appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell upon the castle, and all who lived there._

 _As days bleed into years the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world, for the enchantress had erased all memory of them, from the minds of the people they loved. But the rose she had offered was truly am enchanted rose. If he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could learn to ever love a beast?"_

Mia continued on reading the classic tale as Mrs. Brugger sat in her chair and listened, with a content smile on her face. It was a very nice time, and for the first time in a long while, Mia felt completely relaxed and at ease. When she came to the part of Belle asking her father to bring back a rose, she couldn't help but smile. She would have to say that this was her second favorite childhood story, besides Peter Pan. Belle was intelligent, brave and stood up for what she believed in, and had a passionate love for the written word. In many ways, she reminded Mia of Hermione. She kept on reading for quite some time, glancing up at Mrs. Brugger every now and then. When she reached the part where Belle took her father's place in the Beats' castle, she glanced over in time to see the elderly woman's eyes slowly flutter shut, her hands resting in her lap. Smiling, Mia read on. After a while, Mia looked over at the mantle clock to see that time had passed by fast than she'd like to admit.

 _It's almost time for dinner, I should probably go._ Mia shut the book in her lap, thinking she could finish reading it to Mrs. Brugger the next time she came over. Getting up from her seat, Mia placed the book back on the shelf after marking the page where she left off. She started putting her coat and hat back on, wondering whether or not to wake Mrs. Brugger up. She looked so peaceful, but Mia didn't want her to sleep for too long without eating. Once she was all set to go, she grabbed her gloves from the end table and walked over to Mrs. Brugger, gently placing her hand on top of hers and shaking it gently.

"Aggie?" she whispered. "Aggie, I have to leave, do you need me to do anything before I go?"

Mrs. Brugger didn't respond, sleeping on where she sat, her snow white bangs falling into her eyes. Mia shook her hand a little more roughly this time, hoping she wouldn't be too mad at being woken up. She called her name again, but Mrs. Brugger didn't move an inch, or gave any indication that she heard Mia at all. At this point a frown settled on Mia's face and a worrisome feeling started to blossom in her stomach.

"Aggie, are you okay? Aggie?"

There was still no response and Mia was beginning to feel scared. Looking closely, she saw that Mrs. Brugger's chest was rising and falling as it had been earlier, and in the silence of the room, Mia couldn't hear any intake of breath coming from her. A horrible feeling came over her and with shaking hands, she took Mrs. Brugger's wrist tenderly in her fingers and pressed against it, waiting and praying. Tears immediately started welling in her eyes when she couldn't feel the beating throb of a pulse.

" _Aggie…"_

GinnyPOV

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA?!"

Ginny shook her head in slight amusement as she heard her mother go off at her father while she, Harry, Ron and Hermione scurried out of the room as fast as they could. One would think after all this time together, Dad would know not to do anything that would get Mum so riled up like this.

"Typical Dad," she said as they walked down the corridor. "Stitches…I ask you…"

It was Christmas Day, and they were currently visiting Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where he had been taken after his attack at the Ministry of Magic. Ginny was beyond relieved that he was going to be okay, although he does have to stay for a while longer until they can make sure his wounds stop bleeding and the venom of the snake that bit him would have no permanent effect on his body. However, it appeared that in the time since they last saw him, Mr. Weasley went along with a trainee Healer in trying out a Muggle medical technique called Stitches, but seeing as this was a major magical injury, they didn't work and he had to have his bandages replaced early. When Mrs. Weasley saw this, she became suspicious, with a lethal look in her eye that made Mr. Weasley cower and the rest of them run for the hills while he had to explain to his wife he was up to.

They continued walking until they went through the double doors and out onto the staircase that would lead to the upper floors. They began to climb, heading up to the fifth floor, where they would find the tearoom to relax until Mrs. Weasley's tirade was over. St. Mungo's was truly a sight to behold, as Ginny herself had never seen it before. It looked like any hospital should, with gleaming walls and floors holding hundreds upon hundreds of patients, since it was the only magical hospital in England. Everywhere you looked you would see witches and wizards effected by spells, attacked by fierce creatures, went crashing from their brooms, or had something of theirs cursed. There were Healers all round in their lime green robes, carrying vials of different potions, charts, and administering treatments with their wands. Ginny was grateful to the Healers who worked on her dad, and hoped he would be able to be discharged soon.

"What floor's this?" Ron asked as they kept on walking.

"I think it's the fifth," said Hermione.

"Nah, it's the fourth," Harry said. "Only one more—"

"Blimey!" Ron exclaimed with wide eyes as he stared at the window built into the double doors leading to the fourth floor. "Look who it is!"

Ginny looked over and her mouth fell open at the sight of a familiar face beaming at them through the window. It was a man, with shiny golden hair on his head, bright blue eyes and glittering white teeth that could stand out for miles.

"Oh my goodness," Hermione breathed in disbelief. "Professor Lockhart!"

"Well, hello there!" Lockhart greeted as he pushed open the door and went to stand in front of them, wearing a blue set of hospital robes. "I expect you'd like my photograph, would you?"

"Hasn't really changed much, has he?" Harry whispered to Ginny, causing her to giggle.

"Er—how are you Professor?" Ron asked.

"I'm very well indeed, thank you!" Lockhart answered, pulling a battered peacock quill out of his pocket, still smiling at them all. "Now, how many autographs would you like? I can do joined-up writing now, you know!"

"Er—we don't want any at the moment, thanks," Ron muttered. Ginny couldn't help but stare at their Ex Defense teacher. She had no idea that he was here at St. Mungo's although it would make sense. Harry and Ron told her what had happened when he tried wiping their memories with Ron's broken wand, and how the spell backfired on himself. The effect must have been so bad he had to stay here.

"Gilderoy, you naughty boy, where have you wandered off to?"

Just then a motherly-looking Healer came striding towards them, with a kindly smile on her face and rosy cheeks. She seemed positively thrilled that Lockhart finally had some visitors, and although Harry tried to tell her differently, she waved it off, saying she was thankful because no one ever came to see him. The Healer continued to smile warmly at them and suggested they continue their visit in Lockhart's ward, as he had a habit of wandering off alone and forgetting how to get back. Ginny glanced at the others before they reluctantly followed the Healer as she led Lockhart back down the corridor to the Janus Thickey ward, which apparently held long-term patients, as the Healer informed them. As soon as they entered the ward, Ginny found herself looking around at its occupants—there was a woman with a full head of fur sitting in a bed not far from them, and a man mumbling to himself as he stared up the ceiling, an unfocused look on his pale, scarred face. There were more patients further down the ward, and there were even a couple of beds further down that had curtains around them, allowing the visitors some privacy, no doubt. They soon reached Lockhart's bed and the Healer left them so she could continue handing out Christmas presents. Lockhart set to work in handing them envelops to put the pictures of himself in when he was finished signing them, still talking about how much he loved signing them, getting letters from witches almost every week, probably due to his good looks. Ginny rolled her eyes at this—despite having his memory wiped, he still had a bit of himself left.

They sat there for a few minutes, just watching as Lockhart signed a bunch of photos in childish handwriting. However, they were disrupted from their thoughts as Ron suddenly stood up from where he was sitting and grinned widely in the other direction.

"Hey, Neville!"

Ginny turned her head to see that it was indeed Neville who was walking down the corridor, with an elderly woman with gray hair and sharp eyes, wearing a long green dress, a moth-eaten fox fur, and a pointed hat decorated with a stuffed vulture. That had to be Neville's grandmother. Mrs. Longbottom. But what on earth were they doing here at St. Mungo's? Are they visiting someone? At Ron's shout, Neville nearly jumped right out of his skin and when he set his eyes on them, his face lost some of its color and he looked as if he wanted to sink right into the floor and disappear.

"Friends of yours, Neville?" his grandmother asked as they drew closer, her eyes gazing over them all. She held out her hand and started a round of shaking hands with them all, starting with Harry. "Ah, yes. Yes, yes, I know who you are, of course. Neville speaks very highly of you, Mr. Potter. And you two are clearly Weasleys. Yes, I know your parents—not well, of course—but fine people, fine people. And you must be Miss Granger, yes, Neville's told me all about you. You've helped him out of a few sticky spots, haven't you? He's a good boy, but he hasn't got his father's talent, I'm afraid to say."

Mrs. Longbottom jerked her head over towards the two beds that were hidden behind the curtains, and Ginny felt her jaw drop out of shock. Neville's dad was down there? Ron voiced her question out loud with a look of pure amazement, standing on his tip toes to see if he could get a glance of him. Mrs. Longbottom harshly demanded if Neville told his friends about his parents, to which Neville took a deep breath, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of!" Mrs. Longbottom said angrily, glaring down at her grandson. "You should be _proud,_ Neville, _proud!_ They didn't give their health and their sanity so their only son would be ashamed of them, you know!"

"I'm not ashamed," Neville muttered softly, refusing to look any of them in the eye.

"Well, you've got a funny way of showing it!" Mrs. Longbottom said before turning back to them. "My son and his wife were tortured into insanity by You-Know-Who's followers fourteen years ago. They've been in this ward ever since."

Ginny instantly clamped her hand over her mouth in shock and horror, as did Hermione, and Ron stopped standing on his toes trying to get a look at them. Neville's parents were tortured into insanity? That's—that's so awful! How could someone do such a cruel thing? Ginny felt disgusted by the news, and she felt so very sorry for Neville in that moment, unable to form a coherent response. This was obviously the reason why he had been brought up by his grandmother, and Ginny felt a bit ashamed of herself for never bothering to ask why. There thought of having his parents alive, but not here, was enough to make her frown and for sadness at her friend's expense to engulf her.

"They were Aurors, you know, and very well respected in the Wizarding community," Mrs. Longbottom continued on. "Highly gifted, the pair of them. I—yes, Alice dear, what is it?"

At that moment a woman who had to be Neville's mother came edging down the hall, a blank expression on her face, which was thin and worn-looking. She had long, unkempt hair that was white and fell messily down to her elbows, with blank, emotionless eyes. She was moving towards Neville with something in her outstretched hand. Neville quickly held out his and then his mother dropped an empty candy wrapper into it before going back to walk down the hall humming softly to herself. The sad look on Neville's face was enough to make Ginny's heart clench, and she found herself wishing that whoever did this to Neviile's parents were caught and paid dearly. Mrs. Long bottom then said that it was time for her and Neville to get going, and for Neville to toss the wrapper. However, as he walked passed and offered a feeble goodbye, Ginny saw him discreetly stuff the wrapper inside his pocket, the only token he had of his mother. Once they were gone, Ginny looked over at the others, her face crestfallen.

"I had no idea," Hermione whispered.

"Me neither," Ron mumbled.

"Nor did I," Ginny said. She looked over at Harry to see him gazing after Neville's mother, his eyes shining with sadness.

"I knew," he admitted. "Dumbledore told me, but I promised I wouldn't mention anything. That's what Bellatrix Lestrange got sent to Azkaban for, using the Cruciatus Curse on Neville's parents until they lost their minds."

"Bellatrix Lestrange did that?" Hermione whispered. "The woman Kretcher's got a photo of in his den?"

"It looks like it," Ginny said with a flare in her cheeks. "She's still in Azkaban though, right? That means she's getting just what she deserves."

"I hear you on that," Ron agreed. "Maybe…maybe if he would let us, we could come with him sometime. To give him some support."

"I'm not sure, Ron, he didn't want us to know in the first place," Hermione said.

"But we know, now," Harry put in. "And we should keep this to ourselves."

Ginny and the others agreed to this and they later left the ward with a heavy feeling in their hearts, each with a signed photograph by Lockhart, who waved cheerfully at them as they went.

The end of the day found themselves back at Grimmuald Place, where they had been staying with Sirius ever since they had been brought from Hogwarts on the night of Mr. Weasley's attack. Sirius had been very happy and welcoming, glad at having a full house again, and over the course of the past few weeks, he had helped them all decorate the place in such festive colors and lights that the house was barely recognizable. His joy was infectious, and even though she would much rather have her father there with them, it was still an enjoyable Christmas, at least better than how the holidays started out to be.

While dinner was being prepared down in the kitchens, Ginny was sitting in one of the drawing rooms with her brothers, Harry and Hermione, just killing time until it was time to eat. They were all in a festive mood, with Fred and George singing some weird carols they made up themselves, Hermione reading a thick book in one of the armchairs, as usual, and Harry over at a table playing chess with Ron, and losing spectacularly.

"Queen takes knight," Ron said as his white queen reduced Harry's knight to nothing but rubble on the chessboard. "You better think of something soon mate, or you'll owe be another Chocolate Frog."

There was no response from Harry and Ginny looked up from the _Quibbler_ to see that he was hunched over in his seat, staring down at the board with a blank expression on his face, seeming completely lost to the world.

"He's doing it again," Ron said with a role of his eyes. "Ginny?"

Ginny nodded before reaching over for the nearest cushion and flinging it over at Harry with all of her might, hitting him dead in the face and making his glasses start to fall of his face.

"Ten points to Weasley!" Fred exclaimed.

"Nice shot, sis," George congratulated.

"What was that for?" Harry demanded.

"You were spacing out with the brooding expression on your face," Hermione replied without looking up from her book.

"You better not be moping about what we talked about," Ginny said. "We already stablished you weren't being possessed."

Harry glared at her but she simply glared right back. Back when Mr. Weasley was first attacked, Harry had told them in detail about his dream where he saw it happen. Only, he didn't merely see it happen, he believed he was the actual snake! He described slithering on the floor and biting Mr. Weasley repeatedly with his fangs until he was nothing but a bleeding mess on the floor, and it felt so real that he jolted awake and ran for help immediately. Along with that, they had used the twins' Extendable Ears to listen in on a conversation Mr. Weasley was having with Mad-Eye and a couple of Order emembers at St. Mungo's where they brought up the possibility that Harry might be being possessed by Vodemort. Ginny knew the idea was rubbish and ridiculous right away, seeing as she had been possessed by that monster before and she knew what it was like. However, Harry was terrified of the idea and, believing he was a danger to everyone, he had shut himself up and refused contact with anyone for over a day. It was then that Ginny wished Mia had been with them to snap some sense back into him, but the next best thing came in the form of Hermione Granger arriving at Grimmuald Place and forcing Harry to come downstairs and talk to them about it.

Since then they had soothed Harry's fears, with Ginny telling him that if he remembered where he was and what he was doing before and after, he was fine, and Ron added that he had been thrashing around in his bed for at least a minute before he woke up, so there was no way he could have left the room. Yet every now and then Harry would space out again, and they wanted to make sure he wasn't having any doubts.

"I'm not," Harry defended. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?" Ron asked.

"Well," Harry said, shifting in his seat. "I was thinking about Mia…"

" _Really, now?"_ George said as he pushed Ron out of his seat and took his place across from Harry. "This is interesting, eh Freddie?"

"Absolutely, George," Fred agreed, popping up from beside Harry. 'What is it that has our Mia darling swirling in your thoughts this evening, Harry?"

"Inquiring minds want to know," George continued with an eager glint in his eyes and his chin resting on his hand.

"Don't, you two look like Skeeter doing that!" Ginny said, trying to get their attention away from the topic.

"Take that back," the twins said together, appalled.

"You two are so annoying, go and bother Mundungus or something, I'm sure he's still sneaking about," Hermione said.

"We're not done questioning Harry."

"He's probably wondering why she hasn't come yet, although being around you two, it's no surprise," Ron muttered as he got up from the floor, glaring at his older brothers.

"We'll have you know Ickle Ronikins, Mia simply adores us, more so than you—"

"I'm her friend!"

"And we're two devilishly handsome twins who have the skill for laughs and the brains for mischief. Who do you think she'd rather go for?"

"You two, out! Or I'll call Mum and tell her about what you did with that pixie last summer," Ginny threatened.

"All right, we're going!" Fred said with a dramatic eye roll. In the next instant, him and George Disapperated and fell out of sight.

"Those two," Hermione said, shaking her head. "What is it about Mia, Harry? Haven't you tried writing to her yet?"

"Well, not—not yet," he admitted in a low voice.

"Why not? Are you guys still fighting?" Ginny asked.

"No, not really—maybe," Harry stuttered.

"He can write to her whenever he wants," Ron interjected quickly. Ginny saw Harry give him a grateful smile and she managed a quick glance at Hermione, smiling at each other as well before they turned away to hide it. Ginny had a suspicion that Harry told Ron about what had happened that night, just as Mia confided to her and Hermione about it, because whenever the topic came up, Ron made sure to step in on Harry's behalf not so subtly.

"Well, you don't have to mope around so much about it," Hermione stated. "If you want to talk to her, just get Hedwig or Pig and send her a letter. I'm positive she'd love to hear from you."

"Hermione's right," Ginny said. "I just sent her a letter with Errol not that long ago to let her know how dad's been doing."

"You used Errol? Why?" Ron asked.

"Both Hedwig and Pig were out hunting at the time, and Errol happened to come by, so I used him. The journey's not long, so he should be back fairly soon."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than there was a loud tapping sound at the window, and everyone looked over to see that, low and behold, Errol was fluttering outside with what seemed to be a letter tied to his leg, begging for entrance.

"Right on time," Ginny said excitedly as she and Hermione went over to the window to let Errol in. Once he was, he flew over to the footstool close to the fireplace where he stood still for a moment and then promptly fell over onto the floor, unconscious.

"Bloody bird," Ron said as he went over and relieved the owl of the letter before setting him back on top of the stool. "Here Gin, it's for you."

"Thanks," Ginny said as she took the letter from Ron, opened the envelope, and began reading.

"I wish I could have sent Mia my gift, but it's much too big for the owls to carry," Hermione said. "I suppose we could all do a gift exchange when we see her again."

"Hermione, are you sure I got her the right paints?" Ron asked. "I never ordered from a Muggle catalogue before."

"Ginny?" Harry called. "What's wrong?"

Ginny was aware that their eyes were on her now, but she didn't care. She just kept on reading Mia's letter to herself, her smile fading away entirely with every word and her face crestfallen. She slowly sunk down into the nearest seat, a horrible feeling of sadness coming over her. _Oh Mia._

"Ginny, what is it? Is Mia all right?" Harry asked, concern now lacing his tone as he stared at the redhead. "Did something happen?"

"Tell, us, Gin," Ron said, now looking worried as well. Ginny just cleared her throat a little before reading the letter out loud to them.

 _Dear Ginny,_

 _I'm so very glad and happy to hear that your father is going to be all right, my parents and I have been so very worried, and we were relieved to receive your letter with the good news. I'm sure he will get better quickly and be able to be with you all again very soon._

 _I wish I had good news to tell, but I'm afraid that there is none. Something terrible has happened, and even now I can't keep myself from crying as I write this letter. Do you remember my neighbor I told you about, Mrs. Brugger? The one who sent me my dress for the ball last year? Well, I was visiting her last week, bringing her some treats and to keep her company. Everything was so nice and normal, but while I was reading to her, something…something bad happened._

 _She died, Ginny. She died right in front of me while I was reading her a story. I thought she had only fallen asleep, but when I tried to wake her up, she wouldn't. I had to call the police and the ambulance came to take away the body. They say her heart gave out, just like that, and there was nothing I could have done, but I wish I would have noticed then maybe she'd still be here. She was so sweet, and kind, and my friend. I just can't believe she's gone._

 _I'm very sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to visit over the holiday this year. I'm sure her family has already been contacted, and right now we're just waiting to hear when the funeral will take place. And right now, I just want to be home, because I don't know how to handle this. Please give your father a hug from me and give him my best wishes for a fast recovery, and I hope your Christmas turns out better than mine. Keep an eye on Hermione and my boys for me Ginny, I'll see you when term starts._

 _All my love,_

 _Mia_

 **Okay, what did you guys think? This chapter was difficult for me to write, as it is very similar to a recent loss I've had, but I had this planned out for quite some time and I really didn't want to change it. Of any of you recognized the story Mia was reading, it was the introduction to the live action Beauty and the Beast, so I have absolutely no claim to that whatsoever. I absolutely love that movie, it's my favorite Disney film, and I thought this scene between Mia and Aggie was a nice reference to it. I know that in past stories I've made Christmastime a happy, festive occasion for Mia and her friends, but I though this time needed to be different. Unfortunately sad and bad things happen, at any given point in life, and at these times people need something like love more than ever to get through it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you next week.**


	16. Wasted Time

**Hello everyone, and welcome to yet another chapter of You Were Always There: Part 5. Man, this chapter seemed to take forever to finish while I was typing it out, but I have to say I'm pretty satisfied with the results and I hope you guys are too. A little bit of it may seemed slightly rushed, I just didn't want to drag things out for too long, I knew we had to get back to Hogwarts eventually and to tell you the truth guys since I'm making a bunch of changes to what I had originally planned, I don't know how many more chapters this one will have, haha. I have two more written other than this one, so we should be done fairly soon, them we get to move on to part six!**

 **Again I want to thank you all for your support for my stories, it means a lot, and I truly do hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm kind of nervous to see what you all think of this one. And just as a heads up, I have something coming up this weekend, so the next chapter might be posted on Monday instead of Sunday, so don't worry if you don't see an update on Sunday. If there are any questions or comments, let me know, please review your thoughts, and I will see you guys next week! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Sixteen: Wasted Time

MiaPOV

Mia sat in the backseat of the car, staring out through the window as her parents sat up front, all three of them silent and solemn as they drove through the quiet neighborhood, on their way to Mrs. Brugger's funeral, which was to be held at Dove's Cemetery. They had learned it was the same place as Mr. Brugger, so it was only natural that Aggie wanted to be buried with her husband. Mia was dreading this ever since she woke up this morning, and she had gotten dressed in a sort of daze, slipping on her long black dress and pulling her hair back in a braid as if on auto pilot. They had dropped Brian off at a friend's house and were now on their way, none of them speaking much. Mia was lost in her thoughts, wishing that none of this was happening. Right now she should be nestled in at home, enjoying the gifts she received from her parents, groaning about Brian wanting to bother her, or trying to find a possible way to spend the last couple of days of the holiday break with her friends. The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was attend the funeral of a good friend.

They continued driving until they finally reached the cemetery, where they could see more Cara parked not too far away, towards the east end of the grounds. It tool them a couple of minutes to reach the rest of the group once they entered through the front gate, and once Ben had the car parked, he turned off the engine while Catherine turned to look over at Mia.

"Are you ready, Mia?" she asked. Mia mutely nodded her head, although she felt as though she wasn't ready at all. She got out of the car and walked over to where everyone else was gathered, with Ben and Catherine flanking her sides, each one of them holding a single rose. When they reached the crowd, they stood off to the left of where the preacher stood beside a pile of dirt and rocks that had a shovel sticking out of it. The people that surrounded them were all dressed in traditional black, with some of the women wearing veils over their faces, the men wearing respectable suites and formal button-ups, and the few children who attended seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation and kept quiet at their parents' side, while the younger ones had small toys to preoccupy themselves with. Mia didn't look around at them, since she honestly didn't know anyone there. Besides, her attention was on the casket that everyone was gathered around, which was a rich mahogany color with many different colored flowers around and on top of it, along with a picture of Mrs. Brugger with her hair pulled away from her face with the same butterfly combs that Mia currently wore in her hair, her eyes shining as she smiled at whoever was taking the picture. Mia felt her heart clench at the sight of it, and she could already start to feel the tears begin to pool in her eyes.

When the ceremony officially began, everyone was silent as the preacher started off by saying a prayer and went on to say how good of a woman Agatha Brugger was, and how she touched the lives of everyone here in some way. Mia couldn't agree more with him. It turns out the preacher had known Mrs. Brugger and her family for years, and while he shared a couple fond memories he had with them, Mia just continued staring at the casket, some of the tears that were building in her eyes falling down her cheeks as a great sadness took hold of her heart. She remembered the day her old friend had died, how her voice trembeled as she called for an ambulance, and how she cried into her mother's arms as the paramedics covered Mrs. Brugger's body with a sheet and took her away. Ever since then Mia had felt absolutely terrible, just sitting in her room most of the time and crying, wishing it hadn't happened. But it did. Mrs. Brugger had died right in front of her while she was reading, and Mia missed her so very much. Seeing as her grandmother died when she was a young kid, Mrs. Brugger was the closest thing she had to one. She remembered all the times she helped with cleaning the house, the cliche of baking cookies together and drinking lemonade on a warm summer day, and Mrs. Brugger even made Mia a hat one time. These were happy memories she cherished with the elderly woman, but now they won't be able to have any more because she's gone.

The tears kept on falling down her face as the preacher continued to speak, the light chilly wind kissing her cheeks and making her tears feel like ice. A couple more prayers were said, and eventually the ceremony came to an end. There were a lot of sniffles and quiet sobs from those around her as people formed a line to walk up to the casket and place their own roses on top. Mia and her parents got in line as well, slowly making their way forward. Once they got close to the front of the line, Mia was able to see the group of people standing on the opposite side. They must be Mrs. Brugger's family. There was one woman standing off to the right with short blonde hair falling to her shoulders that looked as though she could be Mrs. Brugger's carbon copy once you took off about thirty years or so. She had the same soft gray eyes that were currently brimming with tears, staring sadly down at the casket with grief clear on her face. At her side was samll little boy who Mia vaguely remembered seeing once a couple of years ago when she had taken Brian to the park. It was Mrs. Brugger's grandson, but she felt awful because she just couldn't remember his name. He was holding the hand of a tall man, who Mia figured was his father, Mrs. Brugger's son. He had thick brown hair styled neatly on top of his head with a smart suit to go with it, along with broad shoulders and a sharp jawline. He was without a doubt a handsome man, and he had grey eyes as well, although his were dark and almost void of emotion as he glanced down where his mother was laid to rest, a blank look on his face, which was very white. He held his son's hand with one of his own, while the other was clasped firmly with his wife's, looking as though he would surely collapse without them to hold onto. Once Mia was at the front of the line, she tore her gaze away from Mrs. Brugger's family and returned it to where she lay, covered with gleaming wood fit for a noble and beautiful flowers. She carefully walked up to the casket, her lips trembling, and sniffling.

"I'm so sorry, Aggie," she whispered. "I'm sorry I was stupid enough not to realize something was wrong. I'm really going to miss cleaning, and reading, and just talking to you. and I'm going to miss the stories you would tell me. I never realized how much I looked forward to them until now, you had so much wisdom and love to share. I'm just happy you decided to share some of it with me. I love you Aggie."

Mia kissed the rose she was holding before placing it along with the many others that were lined up on top of the casket, unaware of the eyes that were on her as she did so. When that was done, she wiped at her eyes before walking away to wait for her parents on the side. When they joined her, they walked away from the grave site and headed back over to the car. Mia shut the door firmly behind her and leaned her head against the window.

"Princess," Ben said after he and Catherine got in. "You know, everyone's going over to Mrs, Brugger's house-"

"No," Mia cut in sharply, before taking on a softer, apologetic note. "Please, Dad, I just want to go home. Please."

...

Later on that night, Mia was curled up on her bed, with her radio playing soft music and listening to the sound of the wind blowing outside, rattling the trees that were next to her window. She was still in her black dress, although she had taken her hair out of its braid, and it was fanned out over her pillow in gentle waves. When she and her parents had picked up Brian and came home from the funeral, she had a rather uneventful lunch before escaping up to her room. For a while she had tried to do many different things-read, paint, organize her school trunk for when it was time to return to Hogwarts, look through a catalog of potion ingredients for future experiments, and even clean up her room a bit, but nothing seemed to do the trick. Her saddened thoughts were still on Mrs. Brugger, and she found herself crying more than once. So she settled for simply resting on her bed, listening to the wind.

Although, it didn't last for much longer because Mia soon heard the sound of loud pecking at the window, and she turned her head to see a familiar white owl that was flapping her wings outside, asking to be let inside. Mia hurriedly got up from her bed and went over to open the window, allowing the white owl to fly inside and perch herself right on top of Mia's dresser.

"Hi Hedwig," Mia greeted, smiling for the first time that day as she walked over to the owl and stroked her head down to her back, receiving an affectionate nip on her fingers in return.

"I'm not sure exactly where you flew in from, but you're welcome to stay for a while if you need some rest," Mia offered while untying the letters that Hedwig held on her legs. When she was relieved of her burden, Hedwig gave her another nip before making herself more comfortable on top of the dresser. Mia was surprised to see that she had not one letter, but four altogether. There was one addressed to her from Sirius, Ginny, Hermione, and-and Harry. Mia really didn't have much time to react to receiving so many letters at once before she heard the sound of Catherine's voice calling her downstairs. She gently placed her letters on top of her bed before leaving the room, deciding to read them after she found out what it was Catherine wanted. However, when she came downstairs and into the kitchen where she knew her parents were, she stopped short and her mouth opened slightly in shock, for sitting at the kitchen table with Ben was Mrs. Brugger's daughter, Emilie. She was also wearing her clothes from earlier, and while she was no longer crying, her pretty eyes were still quite puffy and red.

"Mia," Catherine said as she stood at the stove, apparently making a pot of tea. "Mia, this is Emilie Brugger, she came over to see you."

"Oh," Mia muttered as she looked over at Emilie.

"Please forgive me Mia, for showing up like this," Emilie said as she stood up from her seat and offered Mia a small smile, holding out her hand. "I just had to meet you for myself. It's a pleasure."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too. Ms. Brugger," Mia said, shaking her hand.

"Please, call me Emilie. My mother talked about you often, you know," Emilie said as they took a seat at the table.

"She did?"

"Of course. Almost every time I called her, she would always tell me about you," Emilie explained. "You certainly put a smile to her face, Mia, she adored you very much. I meant to say hello at the funeral, but I didn't get the chance, and I didn't see you at the house."

"I'm sorry," Mia said, staring down at the table while Catherine placed a mug of tea down in front of them. "I-I just..."

"We thought it would be best to come home," Catherine put in as she took a seat next to Ben.

"It's all right, I understand, really," Emilie said. "This has definitely been very hard on all of us. It makes me feel bad, seeing as I haven't come by too much to see my mother in quite some time. I know Johnny feels worse, but he won't show it. He's too much like Dad for that. He'd rather come off as stiff and stern, but I know how he is. You see Mia, this is part of the reason why I came over here. I know that you were with my mother when she died. They said you were reading to her, and she passed away in her sleep?"

"Yes," Mia whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I just wish I would have noticed sooner."

"Mia, there's nothing anyone could have done," Ben told her, reaching over to place his hand on her shoulder.

"Your father is right," Emilie agreed. "It turns out she's been sick for a while now, Mia, and she hasn't mentioned it to anyone. Being the age she was, it took a toll on her more than it should have, and it was a strain on her heart. But what I'm grateful for is that you were there with her. And I have to thank you for that."

"You don't have to..."

"Yes, I do. Mia, you have no idea how much she cared for you and appreciated you. I'm ashamed to admit it, but John and I let our careers become our lives. As time went by, we couldn't see our mother as much as we should have, and I can't say John was worse them me, because it doesn't really matter at this point. There are times I will never get to have with her again, and I only have precious memories to look back on instead of having the real thing in front of me. But Mia, you've always been there for her, whenever you could. You gave her something she has been missing out on for years-life, love, and just the sheer joy of having company with someone close to her. If I'm grateful for anything, it's that you were with her, doing something that was precious to her when she died, and I can never thank you enough for it. You were probably the closest thing she had to a granddaughter, and I know she loved you very much. She always said you were a special girl, and I think she was right."

By the time Emilie was done speaking, the tears were rolling down Mia's face in little rivers and she bent her head low, using her hair to cover her face as a sob escaped her lips, her hands folded tightly in her lap. After a few seconds she could see Emilie bend down in front of her through her bleary eyes and in the next moment she was holding her, rubbing her back as she cried as well.

"She l-loved you too," Mia managed to get out. "Y-you look like her. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Emilie said. "It's okay."

...

 _Dear Mia,_

 _I'm so very sorry about your neighbor! Ginny just got the letter and she told us about it. I really wish we could come see you, but I highly doubt Ron's parents or anyone else would let us, we're really not supposed to leave-_

 _Hey Mia, are you doing okay? Ginny told us what happened, I wanted to make sure you're all right-_

 _Sorry Mia, I told Ron we could share a letter instead of you getting so many at once, but he's being impatient, as usual. I can't imagine what you are possibly going through, I know how close you were to Mrs. Brugger. I know you said she was sick, but I never would have thought-_

 _Mia, Hermione is taking forever, so I'm just going to write my part now. I'm really sorry about what happened, is there anything we can do? My mom says she can send you some treats if you'd like, she's worried about you. We really miss you and we want to hang out with you to make you feel better, but I feel like we're on house arrest. I think we're stuck here until they deem it safe to leave G-_

 _For goodness sake, Ron is so frustrating sometimes! Mia, if you need anything, just tell us. We're all here for you, no matter what. You're our best friend, we'll do anything you need us to, always. Write back as soon as you can, and we'll see you on the first day of term._

 _Love,_

 _Hermione and Ron_

Mia couldn't help but laugh at the letter, finding it amazing that even at the darkest times, those two can still make her laugh and smile. She could only imagine the argument Ron and Hermione had over writing the letter, snatching it out of each other's hands to have their input. This was the third letter she had read from the small pile she had gotten, and each one had been filled with the same comforting words of support. The only one that was left was Harry's and Mia was only slightly hesitant at opening it, unsure of what it would say, considering how things were the last time she saw him. Sighing softly, she took the envelope in her hand, opened it up and took the letter out to read.

 _Dear Mia,_

 _We just got word of what had happened to Mrs. Brugger, Ginny read us the letter you sent her yesterday. I'm so very sorry Mia, I know how close you two were, and I really wish I was with you right now to make you feel better. I can't imagine what you must feel, and I hate that you're going through it on your own. I wish the others and I can come and see you, but the doghouse is on lockdown, and Ron's mum will tear us all to shreds if we tried._

Mia let out a soft chuckle at this, knowing full well what "doghouse" meant. If they even tried setting one foot out of Grimmauld Place, she was sure she would have been able to see the mushroom cloud from Mrs. Weasley's wrath all the way from her house.

 _We all understand if you can't make it over to visit, I'm sure you have a lot going on right now. Mia, I know with everything that's going on right now, and after how things were at the end of term, I want you to know that I'm still here for you, and I'm sorry I've done such a poor job of showing it. I'm sorry for how I've been acting, I know I've been a bit like a prat about everything, but please don't let that make you think I don't care. I will_ _ **always**_ _care about you Mia, more than you can imagine, and I'll always be here for you. You know you can always talk to me if you need to, I'll always be here to listen. Please write back when you have the chance, we all miss you._ _ **I**_ _miss you. Now and always, forever and ever._

— _Harry_

When she was done reading his letter, Mia could feel her eyes watering again and she fell back against her pillows, holding the letter to her heart, which was feeling a bit warmer now that she did. This letter proved that while it still wasn't clear if she was completely forgiven, Harry was still there for her whenever she needed him, and that as far as their bond goes, nothing has changed. For a while she had been so scared that their relationship would always be damaged because of what she'd done, or, in the very worst case possible, he wouldn't want to have anything to do with her anymore. That terrible thought plagued her for some time, even though she tried to rationalize with herself that she was being too dramatic. Now after having this letter, she was sure that even it took some time, things would be okay. They had to be.

SiriusPov

It was safe to say that Sirius wasn't in the best of moods…not at all. For the past day or so he had been walking around with a glum expression on his face, his aura almost sour as he became quiet, not speaking much to the others and casting a look around the house with a dark glare. He knew he was being a bit childish, but at the moment he didn't care. Tomorrow is the day that his godson and the Weasley children will be going back to Hogwarts for their second term. With the children gone, Molly and Arthur, who had been released from the hospital mere hours ago, would return to the Burrow, and with Remus and Tonks off doing what they had to do for the Order, he was faced yet again with the prospect of an empty house with nothing but Kreacher for company.

Sirius' scowl deepened at the thought, and he stuffed his hands further into the pocket of his robes, mindlessly kicking at the table he passed while walking along the hall, lost in his ever depressing thoughts. Why was it every time he finally got to spend time with Harry, it was over in the blink of an eye and he had to leave again? It didn't help the fact that he was still stuck inside this withering, despicable house, just wandering around for what feels like eternity, staring at the same walls, the same pictures, and stuck with the same ghosts that haunted its walls. Oh, how he hated this! He hated being useless and cooped up like he was a prisoner again! He should be out there with the rest of the Order, helping Remus with his missions, keeping a close watch on Harry, doing _something!_ And after that pleasant little meeting with Snivillus earlier that night, his mood worsened in a matter of seconds.

The animangus growled low in his throat at the thought of that meeting—Snape had come by the house on Dumbledore's orders to inform Harry that in an effort to stop his dreams of Voldemort and protect his mind from intrusion, Snape was to teach Harry Occlumency, the magic art of defending your mind against external penetration. Unfortunately, Snape is quite excellent at this branch of magic, and he is probably the best one to teach it to Harry, besides Dumbledore. Sirius loathed the idea, and his made it known to the greasy bat that if he used these private lesson to hurt or give Harry a hard time in any way, he would have to answer to him. Convict or no, if Snape tried anything with his godson, Sirius will be out the front door and on Hogwarts' grounds faster than anyone can blink. The potions master merely sneered and made it clear that he didn't have to worry about him, seeing as he did nothing but hide away in his family's house like a coward where he could do nothing to aid the Order, and be utterly useless. Needless to say that made Sirius' blood boil and he was still fuming about it even now, hours later. Sirius felt a bit guilty that he had let the old bat get to him and that his sour mood increased, but he couldn't help it—going back to an empty house when it was full of life and happiness once again, and facing more lonely nights ahead didn't sit well with him.

A heavy sigh escaped Sirius' lips as he continued walking aimlessly through the house. Soon enough he found himself on the floor where Harry and Ron were sharing a room together, just as they had done this past summer. As he walked past their door, he suddenly heard low mutterings coming through the tiny crack and despite his mood, he couldn't help but smile a bit. How was he not surprised that they were still up when they should've been in bed? He moved closer to the door, curious as to what they were talking about so late at night.

"…still, extra lessons with Snape? I think I'd take the nightmares!" Ron was saying.

"You and me both," Harry grumbled in annoyance. "I just don't understand why Dumbledore can't teach me himself. I wish he would stop avoiding me."

"You're probably overthinking it, mate," Ron told him. "You and Dumbledore are going through a lot this year."

"But come on, Remedial Potions? Urgh, I'm really starting to hate this year," Harry said. Sirius felt sympathy for Harry in that moment, and the all too familiar guilt was creeping back up to him, only this time it was for a whole different reason. Oh, if only Harry knew the extent of what was happening. Dumbledore hasn't been around Harry in some time, which is very true, but for a good reason, and it was a reason Sirius wished more than anything he could explain to his young godson, along with other things. Such as the reason Arthur was attacked, what they were all tasked with guarding at the Ministry, and why he was so desperate to keep Harry safe no matter what. A terrible fate had been woven into his life, and no matter how much he didn't like it, he knew that it would come into light at some point, and Harry would be furious that no one had told him sooner. Molly and Dumbledore believe that it was safer if he didn't know yet, since he was only fifteen, but Sirius knew that the longer it was kept secret, the worse it would be. He was brought out of his thoughts when Ron spoke up again.

"Have you heard back from Mia?" he asked.

"No," Harry answered sadly. "I wrote to her right after Ginny read us that letter, but there's been nothing yet. I wouldn't be surprised if she's still upset with me."

"She's going through a lot, mate," Ron said in an unexpectedly wise tone. "You said she was pretty close with her neighbor, right? She just needs some time, the funeral was only a few days ago."

Sirius frowned again at this. Harry and the others had told him how Mia's friend and neighbor had died while Mia was visiting, and she was pretty upset about it. He can only imagine what she was going through. Mia had been nothing but good to him, before and after their little confrontation in the Shrieking shack almost two years ago, and he had grown to care for her very much. Therefore he had sent a letter to her offering any support her could, along with everyone else.

"I know, I just wish I could be there for her, and to talk to her," Harry muttered.

"About what happened at the end of term?" Ron asked, lowering his voice. Sirius raised his eyebrows at this, wondering what Ron meant. What happened last term? He knew he probably shouldn't, but he crept quietly closer to the door, straining his ears, his curiosity peeked.

"Yeah," Harry said, taking on a more defeated tone. "I still can't believe I did that…"

"Neither can I," Ron snickered. "I thought it wouldn't happen until next year, I really should have followed through with that bet with Seamus."

"It's not funny, Ron," Harry said.

"I think so," the redhead replied. "It's not every day that you're talking about Quidditch one second, and then your best friend shouts out randomly 'I kissed her! I kissed Mia!' You seriously threw me for a loop, there."

Ron's words smacked Sirius dead in the face, and his mouth dropped open, his eyes going wide as he took in what he just heard.

"I didn't know how else to say it, I was panicking," Harry defended.

"Tell me about it, you nearly wore out a hole in the rug and you were making me dizzy," said Ron.

"But Ron, the way we left it, and everything that's happened with your dad and Mrs. Brugger dying, how on earth do I bring it up? 'Gee Mia, I know you're upset and all, but I was wondering if we can talk about me kissing you after we were yelling at each other, and just so you know, I really like you, I think I've always liked you, and I would really like to start going out with you, what do you think?'"

"She'd probably look at you like you've lost your marbles and Hermione would curse you for 'being so tactless.' You've got to stop worrying so much mate, you said she kissed you back, right? So what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is she's my best friend, and I don't know how to handle this, because I've never felt this way before. I can't just throw it out there to her when she lost a good friend, that's too selfish. I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Well, you better figure it out, because you two can't avoid it forever," Ron stated. "Come on, we need to get some sleep, Mum's going to wake us up bright and early tomorrow."

It was quiet after that, and Sirius could hear the ruffling of sheets as the boys settled down into their beds. He stood there out in the hall for a moment, completely stunned at what he had just overheard with the wheels in his mind spinning rapidly. Another few seconds passed before his face suddenly broke out into a wide, beaming grin, feeling a huge sense of excitement for the first time in so very long. Wasting no time, he turned around bolted down the hall and going up the staircase, his grin never leaving his face. He kept on going until he reached the master bedroom, where Buckbeak was currently resting by the fireplace. He made a short bow to the creature and threw up a quick silencing charm before rushing over to the fireplace and grabbing a pinch of Floo Powder that sat in a pot on the mantle. He threw it into the flames, turning them a bright green color and without a second thought, he got down on his knees and called out the destination before thrusting his head inside the flames and bellowing out at the top of his lungs.

"MOONY! MOONY, IT'S HAPPENING! GET YOUR ARSE DOWN HERE!"

"Sirius, what the bloody hell are you doing?!"

Remus came from a side door that led from the front hall of his home into the living room where Sirius' head was currently residing. The werewolf had a deep scowl of surprise and annoyance on his lines face, his gray hair falling into his eyes and dressed in his sleeping attire, holding what seemed to be a cup of tea in his hands. He glared at Sirius, his face pale and dark circles under his eyes.

"Oh good, you're awake!" Sirius said brightly.

"And unfortunately from the look on your face I'm going to be up for quite some time," Remus grumbled. "What do you want? You know you're not supposed to be using the Floo system."

"You're so very charming at this time of the month, Remus," Sirius said with a roll of his eyes. "But you won't believe it, it's finally happening!"

" _What's happening,_ Sirius?"

"Well, first I have to tell you, I might have accidently eavesdropped on Harry and Ron while they were talking in their room—"

"Why do I have a feeling it wasn't accidental at all?"

"That's beside the point, Remus! But anyway, I heard them talking and I found out that Harry kissed Mia at the end of last term!"

Remus was silent at this, just staring at Sirius, although his eyebrows did raise a bit in interest. After a minute, he walked over and sat down in the chair nearest to the fire and took a sip from his tea, a small smile coming across his face.

"Well, this is certainly interesting," he mused.

"Is that all you have to say?" Sirius demanded indignantly. "I don't think you seem to comprehend the fact that my godson finally kissed Mia! It was probably even his first kiss!"

"Sirius, we both knew this was coming, although I don't see why you had to scream in my living room about it," Remus said.

"Why wouldn't I scream about it? This is brilliant," Sirius stated, feeling excited and elated. "My young pup is on the way to becoming a man, I'm so proud."

"I bet you are," Remus chuckled. "Didn't you always used to tell James that you would be the one giving Harry advice on dating? And correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Lily's response was—"

" _'Over your dead body, Black,'_ " Sirius finished with a snort. "Something tells me she didn't trust me."

"Given your reputation, I would assume not," Remus said.

"You wound me, Moony, I'll have you know I certainly knew how to charm the ladies back in the day."

"And that's precisely why I think Lily was right in her objection," Remus said. "But you know you shouldn't have listened in on that."

"I know, I know, but once they mentioned that, I couldn't help it," Sirius said, giving his old friend a sheepish look. "I'm just happy the two of them finally got around to it."

"It did take them a little longer than I thought," Remus agreed. "Even James realized his feelings for Lily early on, but I'm sure it must be strange having strong feelings for a close friend after so many years."

"It shouldn't be strange, it's perfect," Sirius said. "She's just right for him Remus, you have to admit it. If there is anyone I'd like to see Harry with, it's definitely Mia. She's loyal to a fault, intelligent, very kind and has a good head on her shoulders. You should have seen her in the Shrieking Shack that night before you showed up, I thought she was going to curse me to bits if I got within ten feet of Harry."

"It definitely would have been funny," Remus stated as he took another sip of his tea. "But Sirius, I'm sure this is new for the two of them, and if this happens to be Harry's first relationship, he's going to be experiencing many new things. Therefore, under no circumstance are you to interfere with this."

"What?! Come on, Moony—"

"Absolutely not, unless Harry specifically come to you," Remus said firmly. "You forget, Sirius, Harry is a teenager, and he's going to want to handle this on his own."

"How can I not forget he's a teenager?' Sirius said, his smile disappearing for the first time since arriving in Remus' fireplace. "He's grown up faster than I can blink…and I missed it all."

Sirius went quiet at this, once again succumbing to his depressing thoughts. It was true, Harry is well on his way to becoming a man, and Sirius never had the opportunity to fulfill his duties as godfather and be there for him. He supposed he should be grateful he was there for some of the important milestones, like when Harry started taking his first steps, being officially christened as godfather, giving him his first broom (even if it was only a toy), and being there for his first word, which turned out to be "Pa'foo." Sirius was over the moon about that, and he rubbed it in James face for weeks to a point where his best friend put a silencing charm on him just to shut him up.

These were moments Sirius treasured, but because of his stupidity, he missed so many other things. He was rotting away in Azkaban while Harry was learning to read and write, and he missed his first day of school, his first sports game, if he had been involved in any, and he also missed Harry's first meeting with Mia, and the opportunity to tease him mercilessly about it. These were moments he wanted to experience along with James and Lily, moments they had all been denied of. Now was Harry was a teenage boy with a crush on one of his best friends, and no matter how excited he was over it, he wasn't exactly sure how to handle it.

"Sirius, don't," Remus said sternly. "You can't keep blaming yourself."

"And why shouldn't I? If I had just stayed put or even did the smart thing and go to Dumbledore to explain than everything would have been different."

"Yes, it would have, but that's all in the past. You acted on your grief and anger, Sirius, it's called being human. You know Harry doesn't blame you."

"Well he should," Sirius muttered stubbornly. "I missed so much Remus, and I want to be there for him with this, but I don't know how. Dealing with Harry's first crush is something James and I always talked about offhand, but now that it's actually here…what do I do? What should I say? What if I don't have answers to the kind of questions he asks? What if he doesn't come to me at all? Do you think he would be comfortable enough talking to me about something like this? What if—"

Sirius suddenly broke off as a terrible thought came to him. His eyes widened dramatically and his face lost a little bit of its color as dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

"Oh sweet Merlin Remus, what if I have to give him _the talk?!_ "

At his words, Remus started choking on his tea and then began laughing so hard he bent over a little, his voice rebounding off the walls. Sirius glared at his old friend and resisted the urge to step through the fireplace and punch him.

"You're worse than a girl, Sirius," Remus laughed, wiping away at some tears in his eyes. "I'm not sure even Lily fretted this much."

"You just love lowering my self-esteem, don't you?" Sirius grumbled. "This isn't funny."

"Yes, it is, Padfoot old friend," Remus chuckled, finally having regained some of his composure. "You're overthinking this Sirius. Just because Harry hasn't come to you yet doesn't mean he doesn't trust you. I'm sure if he needs some advice you'll be the first person he reaches out to. And stop being such a worry-wart, I have a very good feeling about those two, if it's meant to happen, it will. Just give it time. And don't be concerned about _the talk,_ I'm positive that Harry knows the basics of that by now."

"And if he doesn't?" Sirius squeaked anxiously.

"Then I'll certainly enjoy watching you try to get through that conversation," Remus replied with a smirk. Sirius glared at him for a moment before an idea came to him and he developed a smirk of his own.

"You know, speaking of difficult romance situations, I just saw Tonks a couple of weeks ago," Sirius started out slowly, and the tone of his voice was enough to make Remus stop smiling. "I believe you two were on that one mission from the Order, right? Spent some good quality time together, I'd say. She definitely seemed happy and very giggly when she came back."

"Sirius," Remus warned, his face beginning to turn a brilliant shade of red.

"Now I wonder why that could be" Sirius continued. "I'm sure stalking out possible Death Eater locations can't be that much fun. Unless she was particularly enjoying the company she was with. I wonder what you two could have been up to in all that time—"

Sirius' taunting was cut short due to a rather nasty Stinging Hex being cast and a loud dog-like yelp of pain.

MiaPOV

"Mia? Mia, wake up, we're almost there."

Mia slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to see Neville's round face looking down at her. He had changed into his school uniform and already had his winter cloak wrapped around his shoulders. After the grogginess in her mind started to fade she looked out of the window of the compartment she had been leaning against to see that Neville was indeed right—they were currently passing by a familiar rural cluster of snow-covered trees and stones. They must be really close to Hogsmeade Station, now. Mia quietly thanked Neville and then he left to give her some time to get dressed. Rubbing tiredly at her eyes, Mia sat up from where she was laying and then began getting dressed in her uniform, moving slowly with a sad frown on her face.

How was it possible for the Christmas holidays to have been so slow yet so very fast at the same time? It felt as though she had only arrived home yesterday, but the time span between then and now seemed to drag on for eternity. Once she had her robes and cloak on, she called for Neville to come back in and when he did, he stared at her with concern lining his features.

"Are you sure you're okay, Mia?" he asked. "You still don't look so good…"

"I'll be all right, Neville," Mia answered.

"Mia, you don't have to pretend with me, you know that, right? I understand how you feel, when my grandpa died, I was upset too, and no matter how much my Gran told me to stay strong, I didn't want to. If you want to cry, that's okay. I promise I won't tell."

Mia couldn't help but smile tenderly at Neville's words.

"You're so very sweet, Neville," Mia said to him. "Thank you for that, but really, I'll be all right, in time. I just wish my holiday didn't have to end this way. Thank you for riding with me."

"You're welcome, I didn't want to leave you by yourself," Neville said. "How do you think the others are coming back to Hogwarts?"

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were already there," Mia replied. "If Harry and Ron can fly a car to Hogwarts and crash it into a tree, I'm sure they'll be able to find their way back again this time."

"Yeah, I guess so," Neville chuckled. "You didn't get to see them at all?"

"No," Mia answered with a shake of her head. "The funeral was held not long after it happened, and I…I just wanted to be home with my family."

As she spoke, Moa reached up and lightly touched the silver butterfly barrettes that she had pinned up to keep her hair out of her face. As she touched them, she could feel the tears beginning to gather in her eyes again, but she kept them at bay. Even now, she still couldn't believe that it all happened. It all seemed like a bad dream.

Now, she was sitting in the train compartment again, with Neville and Trevor for company, not that she was complaining. Neville noticed something was wrong right away when he asked to sit with her, and after hearing about her holiday, decided to stay with her and be there for support, especially since it seemed that Harry and the others had found an alternative way to get to school.

"I understand," Neville said. "But everyone says that time heals everything, so it might not seem like it, but it'll get better."

"Thank you, Neville," Mia said, offering him a small smile. "You're a really great friend."

Neville blushed a little at her words, but smiled nonetheless just as the Hogwarts Express started to slow down, eventually coming to a halt outside of Hogsmeade Station. After making sure that sapphire was secure in her carrier, Mia left with Neville to go out onto the platform with everyone else and once they stepped outside, Mia immediately shivered from the fierce cold, quickly wrapping her scarf around her neck and drawing the hood of her cloak over her head, as it was snowing lightly down on them. Usually she would be thrilled at the sight of snow like she always is, but she didn't find it in herself this time. She and Neville followed the line of students over towards the spot at the end of the station where the carriages would be waiting to pull them up to the castle. While they waited, Mia and Neville made some small talk, the both of them anxious to get up to the castle for some hot chocolate and the warm feast that would be awaiting them. However, once they neared the front, Mia stopped talking and stared wide-eyed at the sight before her, her mouth dropping open ever so slightly.

Pulling the carriages were some of the most bizarre and terrifying-looking creatures she had ever seen in her life. They were skeletal horses that were black in color, with wings similar to a bat's and bright white eyes, pawing the ground. They truly looked like something out of a nightmare and when one of them turned its gaze over towards her, she felt a shiver go down her spine that had nothing to do with the weather. She knew what these creatures were…she remembered the lesson Hagrid had them do with them when he came back after his mission. He had told them that there was nothing to be worried about, as they were quite gentle but still defended themselves when necessary, like any other animal. Still, Mia couldn't help but feel apprehensive, and just the fact that she could see them now made the reality of everything that much worse.

"Mia?" Neville said. "Can…can you see them?"

Mia nodded wordlessly as she continued to stare at the creatures while they pulled the carriages. Soon enough they were at the front and clamored into a carriage along with two Hufflepuffs. Then they were off. Going down the bumpy road up to the castle in the distance, which was looking just as grand as always, set against the dark sky and covered in white, like something out of a beautiful fairytale. Mia simply admired the castle's beauty and grace, despite knowing what awaited them when they returned. Soon enough she and Neville got out of their carriage and walked up the steps together to the Entrance Hall. A sudden sense of unease and nervousness came over Mia and she slowed her footsteps, biting her lip. This was the first time she would be seeing Harry since that night in the Room of Requirement when…when they kissed. She swallowed the lump in her throat at the idea of facing him after what had happened, and she wasn't sure what to do.

 _"I've only met the boy a couple times and I know there is nothing in this world that will make him stop caring for you, after all you've told me about him…Mia, how do you feel about him? Not what you think you_ _should_ _feel, but how you_ _truly_ _feel…you just have to work on building up the courage to tell him this yourself."_

"I'll try Aggie," Mia whispered to herself as she and Neville went through the front doors. As they came into the Great Hall, Mia saw that almost everyone else was there already, the house tables quickly filling up with loud chatter and laughter as everyone prepared for the delicious meal that was soon to take place. The Christmas decorations were still set up and they were just as glorious as ever. The Christmas trees were glimmering brilliantly, and the wraths of holly were still strung about, giving the hall a very cheerful glow. As Mia and Neville walked down the aisle towards their table, Mia scanned the heads of the crowd, looking for ones that were either bushy, flaming red, or jet black. Thankfully, she didn't have to look long before she found all of them clustered towards the middle of the table. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of them…she truly did miss her friends. After a few seconds the owner of the bushy head looked over her way and she suppressed a giggle as Hermione quickly got up from her seat and somehow flew over towards them without running like a falcon diving down in its prey.

"Mia!" Hermione said as she rushed forward and brought her in for a tight hug. "How are you doing? Are you okay? Of course you're not, why would I ask that, you've obviously had a horrible break, I'm sorry we couldn't come to see you—"

"Hermione, breathe," Mia said with a small laugh. "It's all right, I understand. I've honestly been better, but I'll be all right. How did you guys get here? I looked all over the train for you."

"We took the Knight Bus," Hermione answered as she started walking with Mia and Neville back down the aisle. "It didn't take us long at all, but the ride really wasn't pleasant at all. How are you, Neville?"

"I'm all right, thanks," Neville responded. Mia couldn't help but noticed that Neville looked a bit uneasy answering, and Hermione had a tentative look in her eyes as she spoke to him. She raised her eyebrows slightly at this, but didn't ask, thinking she could always talk to Hermione about it later, since whatever it was, they didn't want to address it out loud. Besides, she wasn't sure she could ask anyway, for she had just caught sight of Harry, who was standing to his feet just as they reached him, and Mia suddenly found herself incapable of proper speech. Her heart started beating just a little faster and an awful knot was tightening uncomfortably in her stomach, twisting her insides together and pulling painfully. She berated herself for being so silly—it was only Harry, but still, a part of her was happy and relieved that he no longer had a look of anger and hurt on his face while he looked at her. In fact, when they were less than three feet apart, he wordlessly pulled her in for a hug just like Hermione did, holding her almost tenderly and she could have cried at the contact. She didn't need any urging to hug him back, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"Hey," he whispered softly. "Are you all right?"

"Better now that I'm back here." _With you._

The two of them broke apart and Harry gave her a smile, the one that instantly warmed her heart and made her feel as though nothing could possibly be wrong, the one he always had for her. She managed to smile back at him and then they all sat down at the table together. Ron and Ginny also smiled over at her, silently reassuring her that they were all there for her if she needed them. Staring around at them all, Mia could feel her eyes becoming moist and despite how bad she may have felt before, she knew that with her friends standing beside her, she could get through anything.

...

Mia awoke to the sound of loud purring right next to her ear and she opened her bleary eyes to the sight of Sapphire's whiskered face lying beside hers, her head resting on her paws and her body curved around the top of Mia's head, the tip of her tail resting against her neck. Mia let out a heavy sigh but rolled her eyes fondly at her cat as she reached over and gently scratched the top of her head, right between the ears just how she likes it. The more aware she became, the more she realized that it was still very dark in the dorm room, which means it was probably still some time before the sun was supposed to rise. She could hear the sounds of the other girls sleeping peacefully in their own beds, and see the rays of the moonlight falling over her legs, and she realized she was still in her uniform.

 _Oh, that's right,_ she thought to herself. _I fell asleep before I got changed into my pajamas._

After dinner in the Great Hall earlier that night, Mia and her friends had gone up to the common room along with everyone else, and they spent a nice evening seated fairly close to the fireplace, where Ron broke out a game of Gobstones and Fred came over along with George to hug Mia and show of some of the new things they had invented for their future joke shop. They told her in hushed whispers about Mr. Weasley's stay in the hospital, and Mia was once again thankful to hear he was doing okay. She laughed along to some of the funny stories they told of some of the things they did over the holidays, and she was aghast at hearing about Harrys "Remedial Potions" classes with Snape. At that point she had turned to Harry and made him swear not to do anything stupid because she couldn't afford the bail money for murder, which had Ron and the twins cracking up laughing. Extra lessons with Snape…was Dumbledore asking for bloodshed? Besides that surprising news, Mia tried to be cheerful when she told them of how her Christmas was, avoiding the parts of how she moped around her house, not enjoying the gifts from her parents very much.

However, the others made sure she didn't have to mope any longer, because at some point in the night, they had gone up to the dormitories and brought down the gifts they had gotten her. Mia was shocked beyond belief and instantly felt guilty—everything else aside, she had been so wrapped up in her studies that she didn't get the chance to get everyone a present like she had planned. The fight with Harry, Ron and Hermione, as well as Aggie's passing a mere week later, drove it completely out of her mind. She tried refusing them, saying it wasn't fair as she didn't have theirs yet, but they wouldn't take no for an answer and practically threw the presents onto her lap. Knowing it was pointless to argue with four Weasleys, a Granger and a Potter, she heeded their wishes and was very happy with what she got. From Fred and George, they bought her a lovely dark blue and purple scarf that had moving, twinkling stars on it that lit up in the dark. From Ginny, she received a new set of quills that left a flowery scent on the parchment as you wrote, and Ron gave her some new paints that he had ordered from a Muggle catalogue, with Hermione's help. Said witch gave her a new charm for her friendship bracelet as well as a book written by Claudia Westworth, the most famous translator of Ancient Runes of the century. And last but not least, Harry ended up getting her a beautiful wooden keepsake box with painted flowers on the cover, along with a thick photo album.

"You're not as bad as Colin, but you do take a lot of pictures with your camera," he had said to her. "You'll need somewhere to put them."

Mia smiled at the memory of all her wonderful gifts, and promised herself she would make it up to them all for forgetting theirs like an idiot. She spent the next ten minutes at least tossing around and trying to get back to sleep, but she knew it was useless…she was wide awake now. Glaring lightly at her slumbering cat, Mia stood up and got out of bed deciding to get started on her new album. During her break, she gathered all the film from her camera and got them developed, so now she had pictures to place in the album, and hopefully later down the road she could ask Colin exactly what she had to do in order to make them move.

Moving carefully among her things, Mia grabbed the stack of pictures that she had tucked safely into her bag, her album, and then left the dorm room quietly. A little while later, she found herself sitting on one of the loveseats, working from the light of one of the lamps to arrange and place her photographs in the clear folds of the pages. A fond smile came across her face as she started from the ones all the way from first year. There was one she had taken while running away from Ron on the grounds after stealing his chocolate frog, so the picture only showed about half her face with the delicious treat sticking out of her mouth and an angry Ron chasing after her, with an indignant look on his face. There was another one of her and Harry when they had stayed at the cottage for Christmas that year, and they had fallen asleep on the floor together, curled up next to each other with a bowl of popcorn sitting next to them, half full. She wasn't sure how long she sat there going through the pictures, but she didn't care, because she was enjoying immersing herself in all of these memories, and they all brought a smile to her face. She was so wrapped up in what she was doing that she didn't hear when someone came into the common room and walked up behind her.

"Mia? What are you doing up?"

Mia jumped a little at the sudden voice and she looked over to see Harry standing behind her, looking at her curiously.

"My evil cat woke me up and managed to drive me out of my bed, all in her sleep," Mia replied with a frown. "I don't know how she does it."

Harry just smiled and chuckled as he came over and took a seat next to her.

"What are you doing up?" she asked him.

"Couldn't sleep that well," Harry said. "What are you doing?"

"Putting my pictures in my album," Mia said, gesturing with her head to the pile that was next to her. "I had them developed over break, so I figured I might as well get started."

"Are these all from first year?" Harry asked, amazed as he stared down at the pictures.

"And onward," Mia said with a giggle. "I didn't realize just how many I took."

"No kidding," Harry said, reaching over to take hold of one that was sitting on top of the page. However, Mia was reaching for the same one and their hands connected, briefly. Mia felt an all too familiar spark ignite in her skin and she quickly drew her hand and turned away, her hair falling into her face a little as she stared down at the photo of Ron getting plummeted by the twins with snowballs from third year.

"Mia," Harry said softly after a few seconds, his tone imploring. "Please, don't be scared of me."

"What?" Mia said in surprise, looking back at him. "I'm not scared of you, Harry."

"But you were," Harry countered, his face sad. Knowing what he was referring to, Mia avoided his gaze, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"I just…I've never seen you that angry before," she explained. "I was worried you would do something you'd regret."

"The only thing I regret is that I didn't figure it out sooner," he said. "As well as how cold I acted towards you afterwards."

"You had every right to," Mia stated, meeting his eyes as hers shone in the light of the lamps. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

"I know you are," Harry said. "Me too. I don't ever want you to be scared of me…I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt you, you know that, right? You mean too much to me."

His words struck a chord in her heart, and she could feel the butterflies begin their dance once again inside her stomach. Her last conversation with Mrs. Brugger suddenly popped up in her head and she realized that this could be the perfect time. She may not have a chance like this again, and if she tried waiting, she might lose her nerve, and she couldn't risk it. She had to know.

"Harry," she muttered softly, slowly. "Why did you kiss me that night?"

Her words were followed by silence, and she could see the change in Harry almost instantly. His cheeks were suddenly enflamed, his posture became a bit awkward, and while his eyes showed surprise at her question, his expression plainly showed all the nerves she was currently feeling. Now it was his time to avoid her gaze, and he licked his lips as though they were very dry, and he cleared his throat.

"I-I…well, um…I j-just…"

Harry struggle to find words and his uncomfortable position made Mia feel as though she was pressuring him, and she didn't want that. The last thing she wanted to do was make him uncomfortable, she should have just kept her mouth shut! Bloody hell, what was the matter with her?!

"Oh Harry, I'm sorry," she quickly said, her own face going red. "I shouldn't have asked you that, it was so random and stupid, I wasn't thinking, I just wanted to know how you felt, because I liked it, and I didn't—"

"What?" Harry said, snapping his gaze back to her in an instant, his eyes widening. "You…you liked it?"

Mia froze where she sat, staring at him with shock and disbelief at what had just come out of her mouth. She could feel her face being set on fire and her head was screaming at her for being such a moron. She started thinking of many things she could say to take it back, or switch it around, or say how he misunderstood her. Her hands became sweaty, her heart was pounding and she shifted her eyes downward, right onto the photo of her and Harry last year at the Yule Ball.

"Yes," she whispered through slightly trembling lips.

"Why?" Harry asked her softly. At this point Mia was sure her heart was going to punch right through her ribcage if she kept talking, but she took and deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Because I wanted you to," she admitted. "I…I've wanted to kiss you for a long while now. Harry, I—I like you. I mean really, really, like you. I don't mean to scare you with this, I'm terrified myself, but I can't keep this to myself anymore. I had always seen you as my very best friend, but somewhere along the way, it changed into something else. I don't just want to be your friend anymore, and the feeling I have for you are strong, they make me scared, confused, happy and sad all at the same, it's driving me mad! All I know is that when I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything, you make me feel happiness I never knew I could feel, my heart goes crazy just thinking about you, and when you kissed me, it was something I can't properly describe."

The more she talked, the more confident her voice became and she suddenly felt brave.

"I felt like I was floating on air, and all I wanted to do was stay in your arms, and keep kissing you. Harry, I care for you much more than a friend, and I've never felt this way before, about anyone. I would follow you into whatever danger you had to face, protect you with all I have, and be there for you in every way possible. I feel safe and loved with you, at first I didn't know why I was feeling this way, but after a while I figured it out. I want to be with you Harry. I know you probably don't feel the same, and I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, I just couldn't hold this in anymore. I had to tell you how I feel."

There was silence once again after Mia spoke, and she felt as though a huge weight was finally lifted off of her chest, making her able to breathe again. The relief she felt was great, but the leftover fear and anxiety was keeping her sight downward, ubale to look Harry in the eye as he sat next to her, digesting everything she just said. She really did it…she told him! After all this time doubting herself, wanting this kept in the dark, it was out in the open and he now knew how she felt. The silence felt as though it were dragging on forever, and Mia was beginning to feel very nervous. Why wasn't he saying anything? Did she scare him off that bad? Did he think this was some sort of joke? Mia desperately wished in her mind that she didn't just ruin their relationship too bad. She didn't know what she would do if she pushed him away with her confession. This quiet response was killing her, and she wasn't sure what to do.

Her thoughts were broken when she felt a warm hand place itself on top of hers, making her gasp softly. She then felt another one take hold of her chin and lift it up so that she could no longer avoid looking into Harry's face. To her utter shock, he was smiling. Not just smiling, but positively _beaming._ There was a certain look sparkling in his eyes brilliantly, making them shine, and he looked as though all his dreams have just come true in the blink of an eye.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," he said tenderly to her.

Before she could say anything else, he leaned in and gently captured her lips with his. Mia was sure her heart exploded in an array of vivid colors right then, sending fireworks coursing throughout her body, and making her ears ring pleasantly. This kiss was just as amazing, gentle, passionate and incredible as the last one, and it left her feeling a strange sense of peaceful calm. Being this close to him, Mia could smell that special scent that was purely Harry, and she sighed into the kiss. All too soon, Harry broke away from her, but his smile never left his face, and he moved his thumb so it traced her cheek.

"Ron was right," he said. "I really did need to do that again."

"What?" Mia asked, feeling like she was in a daze.

"Mia, I'm happy to hear you say that because I feel exactly the same way," Harry explained. "I don't know how or when it happened, but all I know is that my feelings towards you have changed. Maybe I've always known, but just didn't see it even though it was right in my face. But Mia, you can't imagine how conflicted I've been feeling. All I ever want to do now is hold you in my arms and kiss you, and to just be with you. You've always been like my sister, but it was as if I woke up one day and I started having these feelings, feelings I never knew I could feel. The thought of you alone is enough to make me smile, I can't go a day without looking forward to hearing your laugh, and seeing you smile. I didn't want to face it at first, knowing I was falling for you, because I didn't want to ruin our friendship if it turned out you didn't feel the same, but after what you said…it makes me feel like an even bigger git for not telling you sooner."

"You…you really feel the same?" Mia whispered. "I didn't think you ever would. Not for me…"

"What do you mean?" Harry said.

"I always thought you deserved better," Mia mumbled, her face going red again. "I'm so plain, I didn't think a Muggleborn girl with her nose in a book would be good enough, or have much to offer. There's nothing that great about me, and I was scared if you didn't feel the same, I would lose you. I couldn't risk it."

"Mia, who could be better than you?" Harry said, furrowing his eyebrows. "You are _anything_ but plain. You are one of the smartest witches in our year, you're strong, brave, kind, compassionate, and beautiful."

"Harry…"

"It's true, Mia," Harry stated firmly, as if willing her to believe him. "I've always seen it, and everyone else does too. If anything I'm sure I don't deserve someone as amazing as you. I'm sorry it took me so long, wasting so much time, but I'm willing to give this a try if you are."

"What are you saying?" Mia asked him quietly.

"Mia," Harry said, leaning in towards her again and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, looking determined but still a bit unsure, as if he were a bit apprehensive of her reaction. "Will you go out with me?"

 _If this is a dream, please don't let me wake up!_ Mia searched Harry's face for any trace of doubt, but she found none. He was staring at her sincerely, his eyes holding nothing but the truth. No words could describe the happiness that was swelling inside of her and a part of her wanted to jump up and dance around the room in glee and delight. The very thing she thought would be impossible was happening, and all of the bad things that have happened seemed to vanish for the time being, leaving nothing but joy and the butterflies.

"Yes," she whispered with a smile before closing the gap between them and sealing it with another kiss.


	17. The Mind and the Heart

**Hello everyone! Well, here it is, right on schedule, and I'm really excited for you guys to read this, I have a feeling it's been one a lot of you have been wanting for soooooo long. Also, this is one of the longest chapters I've ever done, so there is plenty for you to read. I'm sorry about posting it a little late in the day, I actually had to rewrite a whole section starting from last night and it took me a while to finish it.**

 **But anyway, I really hope you guys like it! If there are any questions or comments just tell me, and review to tell me your thoughts! I'll see you guys at the bottom. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Seventeen: The Mind and the Heart

HarryPOV

 _Harry was five, watching in jealousy as Dudley got to ride a brand new bike…he was nine, watching Mia throw stones at Aunt Marge's dog, Ripper, so he could climb back down from the tree…he was sitting under the Sorting Hat, which was telling him he'd do well in Slytherin…he was falling over laughing as both Mia and Hermione chased Ron around their favorite tree on the grounds…a hundred dementors were closing in on him down at the lake…Mia was staring at him heatedly as she yelled at him from under the mistletoe…Harry gazed tenderly into Mia's eyes and tucked her hair behind her ear before drawing her in for a kiss…_

 _ **No! No, that's private!**_

Harry was suddenly brought back painfully to reality as the swarm of memories vanished from his mind and he gasped as he felt his knee collide with the leg of Snape's desk while falling to the floor. He was breathing a little heavily, astounded and slightly horrified at what had just happened. He was currently with Snape in his office for his Occlumency lesson, and it wasn't going off to a good start at all. Snape gave him the rundown of what was to happen—he would use Legilimency to try and attack Harry's mind, and Harry would do whatever he deemed necessary to defend himself, be it with his wand or his head. He stressed the importance of this in his usual, demeaning way, glaring at Harry with a distasteful sneer, repeating that if Harry was to stop possible future attempts of mind-penetration from Voldemort, he needed to take these lessons seriously and practice. Every emotion he feels, every memory he's ever had could be used against him if Voldemort ever gained access to his mind, and while the likelihood of that happening while Harry was within the protection of Hogwarts was slim, it seemed Dumbledore didn't want to take any chances. This was Harry's first attempt at blocking Snape's attack, but it was unsuccessful.

"You let me get in too far," Snape drawled from above him. "You lost control."

"Did you see everything I saw?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"Flashes of it," Snape replied with his lip curling. "To whom did the dog belong?"

"My Aunt Marge," Harry muttered bitterly, feeling his hatred for Snape increase.

"And Miss Thatcher came to your rescue," Snape said. "How very touching. Is she always saving you, Potter? Either way, I suppose for a first try it was not as bad as I expected it to be, but it still needs great improvement. You managed to stop me eventually, though you wasted time and energy shouting. You must remain focused. Repel me with your brain and you will not need to resort to your wand."

"I'm trying," Harry said angrily. "But you're not telling me how."

"Manners, Potter," Snape sneered dangerously. "Now I want you to close your eyes. Clear your mind, and let go of all your emotions."

Harry tried, but his anger at Snape was not so easily disintegrated—it was still raging inside him and pounding through his veins. Snape berated him for not doing it, which of course made Harry even more irritated and angry wishing more than anything that Dumbledore could be the one teaching him this. How was he supposed to keep calm, focus, or concentrate when he was going at it with the one teacher he despised most in Hogwarts? Well, Snape and Umbridge seemed dangerously close at the moment. After a minute or trying, and failing, to collect himself, Snape told him they would try again, and on the count of three he entered Harry's mind once again.

 _A great black dragon reared in front of him…the smiling faces of James and Lily Potter were waving at him through an enchanted mirror…Cedric was lying on the ground, his eyes open, but unseeing…Mia was bound to a chair, looking so frail and weak as she helplessly called out to him…_

"NOOOOO!"

Harry yelled out in pain as he once again found himself in Snape's office, having fallen to the floor and hit his knee again. He was clutching his horribly aching head with his hands, almost sure he could feel it throbbing in his palms.

"Get up!" Snape snapped angrily. "Get up! You're not trying, you are making no effort, you are allowing me to access memories you fear, handing me weapons!"

"I—am—making—an—effort," Harry nearly growled through clenched teeth.

"I told you to empty yourself of emotion!"

"Well I'm finding that to be slightly difficult at the moment!"

"Then you will fall to be easy prey to the Dark Lord!" Snape said. "Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked so easily—weak people, in other words—they stand no chance! You wouldn't last two seconds if he invades you mind at the rate you're going!"

"I'm not weak," Harry said in a low voice, every inch of his voice laced with fury.

"Then prove it! Control your emotions! Discipline your mind! We shall try again, prepare yourself! _Legilimens!_ "

 _Uncle Vernon was hammering the mail slot shut to keep Harry's Hogwarts letters out…a hundred dementors were drifting across the lake towards him and Sirius…Harry was running along a windowless passage with Mr. Weasley…they were getting closer and closer to the plain black door that stood at the very end, but instead of going through it to whatever lay beyond, the made a sharp left and made their way down a flight of stairs, down to the courtrooms…_

"I KNOW! I KNOW!"

This time when Harry yelled, he sounded triumphant, as though it wasn't entirely his voice. He was on the floor again, only this time he was left more dazed than pained, his head swimming and his scar prickling. After catching his breath, he looked up at Snape, who had his wand raised, and Harry guessed that he lifted the spell himself this time. He was staring at Harry sternly, with heated eyes and an expression that Harry couldn't really decipher.

"What was that, Potter?" he asked.

"I saw—I remembered," Harry panted. "Sir…what's in the Department of Mysteries?"

"What did you say?" Snape said softly, looking very unnerved, to Harry's intense satisfaction.

"What's in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry repeated as he stood back to his feet. "That corridor I just saw, the one I was in with Mr. Weasley…That's the one we went through on the way to my Hearing this past summer. I've been dreaming about it for months now, but I couldn't remember where I had seen it before. I think it leads into the Department of Mysteries, and that Voldemort wants something from it—"

" _I have told you not to say the Dark Lord's name!"_

The two of them glared at each other, but Harry would not back down, the realization still making him feel like he had actually accomplished something from this lesson. Finally, after all this time, he had an answer. He was positive that something Voldemort desperately wants is behind the door, maybe even the weapon he's been aching to have in his possession.

"There are many things inside of the Department of Mysteries, Potter, all of which do not concern you, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Harry grunted, rubbing at his scar, which was still bothering him.

"Good. I want you back here at the same time on Wednesday, and we will continue our work then. You are to rid your mind of all emotion every night before sleep—empty it, make it blank and calm, you understand? And be warned Potter, I shall know if you have not been practicing."

Harry simply gave him a stiff nod before he turned and left the office as fast as he could, wanting nothing more than to be away from Snape and be back with his friends. The throbbing in his scar was getting more and more intense and painful, to a point where he was actually feeling nauseas and feverish. It had been a while since it had hurt this bad, and he shook his head, trying to get his mind of it, which was a lot harder than it seemed. He tried taking slow, calm breaths, making an attempt to relax himself now that he was away from the Dungeon Bat's lair. He walked through the corridors and up the stairs until he came to the library, which is where he was sure the girls would have most likely dragged Ron. Once he entered, he searched through the isles until he found Ron and Hermione sitting at a table, their homework spread around them. The library was filled tonight, mostly with fifth years, all scribbling away at their parchment, or burying themselves within in their books. Now that Christmas was over, the realization that their O.W.L's were fast approaching seemed to start to hit everyone, and the time for an effort in their studies were called for now.

"How did it go?" Hermione asked him quietly as Harry took a seat next to her. "Are you all right?"

"Not really," Harry said, rubbing at his scar again. "I really don't like Occlumency."

"I expect anyone would feel shaky if they had their mind attacked over and over again," Hermione said sympathetically.

"And with Snape doing it, it was probably ten times worse," Ron muttered with a deep frown, to which Harry gave a low groan before glancing around.

"Where's Mia?" he asked them.

"She's actually with Jenna and Lucy, they're working on their Astronomy homework, since they're through with Umbridge's." Hermione answered. "Why?"

"It's kind of obvious," Ron managed to snicker. Hermione replied by kicking him in the foot, making him squeak.

"There's something I have to tell you all," Harry whispered to them. "I realized something while I was with Snape…"

MiaPOV

"No way! You and Harry are together?!"

"Jenna, will you shut up?" Mia hissed at her while Lucy slapped a hand over the excited blonde's mouth, quieting her squeals. "We are out in the open, you know!"

"I don't think it matters much now Mia," Lucy said with a smile. "Thanks to Fred and George, I'm sure the whole school knows by now."

Jenna agreed by making a bunch of enthusiastic mumbling noises from behind Lucy's hand, her mouth going off a mile a minute, expressing her obvious joy at what she had just found out. The three girls were seated on benches close to a window in the second floor corridor, where Mia explained to them how she and Harry officially got together the previous night. She wanted to tell them for herself, because she knew that she and Harry's newfound relationship will not be kept on the low for long. Gossip can travel lightning fast through the halls of Hogwarts if the right people found out, and Mia was sure that leaving the common room with Harry that morning holding hands was bound to set off some alarms, considering the stares they received from their own housemates. That, and the fact the twins cornered them in the middle of a semi-crowded corridor and beamed at them with wide grins on their faces. Fred picked up Harry while George picked up Mia, crushing them together in a fierce hug and screaming "CONGRATULATIONS!" at the top of their lungs. Needless to say by the time Mia kicked them in the shins and glared daggers at them, whoever was in the corridor at the time was bound to get the picture at that point.

Before Mia knew it, she and Harry had been the topic of conversation almost the whole day by the Hogwarts population. The fact that she and Harry were now dating had spread throughout the school like wildfire, and everywhere she went, she could hear the whispers, see the different looks sent her way, but she paid to mind to it. She was used to seeing these looks—it had happened when they first arrived at Hogwarts, when it was known she was Harry's best friend, then again when he had been accused of being Slytherin's heir and she outright defended him, and again last year when everyone thought he had put his name in the Goblet of Fire. A couple people had even come up to her to see if it was true or not, while others had asked the most ridiculous questions, such as if Harry had a tattoo of a Hippogriph on his chest. Mia ignored them all for the most part, vowing to curse the Weasley twins the first chance she got. Therefore, when Mia had gone off to study with Jenna and Lucy for a bit while Harry had to attend his dreaded Occlumency lesson with Snape, she wanted them to hear it from her rather than be another link in the chain of gossip.

"This is fantastic, Mia!" Jenna gushed as she finally pushed Lucy's hand away from her mouth, her eyes shining with glee. "Oh, I'm so happy for you two, you're going to make such a cute couple! I thought this might happen, considering how close you two are, and oh, you have to tell us if you have any special plans for Valentine's Day—"

"Jenna calm down," Lucy laughed while Mia rolled her eyes fondly. "You need to breathe."

"And aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" Mia asked with an amused smile. "Harry and I haven't even been dating for a whole twenty-four hours and you're already talking about Valentine's Day?"

"Well, why not? I've never seen Harry do anything that was even remotely romantic before, and your first Valentine's Day together should be special! But I'm sure he might have something surprising up his sleeve, I can imagine lovely flowers, a nice dinner…"

"Oh boy, here she goes," Lucy muttered. "The point is, we're very happy for you Mia."

"Thank you," Mia said, smiling even wider. "It's all very surreal to me though. I've always imagined what it could be like but now…being able to show him how I feel is pretty amazing."

"And it will only get better," Lucy added. "I hope you're ready to be the Boy-Who-Lived's girlfriend."

"I'm not," Mia responded. "I'm ready to be _Harry's_ girlfriend."

The three girls sat there on the bench, all full of giggles and whispers as Mia told them about the strange but pleasant situation she and Harry found themselves in when he asked her out. Jenna and Lucy both found it sweet and romantic, making Mia blush a deep scarlet red. After a little while Mia managed to divert their attention back to the studying they were supposed to be doing, and after a while the time seemed to get away from them. They stayed on the benches long enough to mark down the late twilight stars that made their presence known as the darkness finally settled in before they gathered their things and started heading towards their respective common rooms. Mia and Lucy bod Jenna goodnight as they separated at the Grand Staircase, and they continued chatting as they walked up the many flights of moving stairs. Soon enough Mia had to say goodbye to Lucy as well, and in next to no time, she came to the Portrait of the Fat Lady and gave the password before being allowed inside.

The common room was filled with the sound of laughter as Fred and George were presenting their newest invention: Headless Hats. Whenever they put it on, their entire head, along with the hat, would completely vanish into thin air, causing everyone to stare in awe and clap as they swooped it off and their head came back into view. As Mia walked by them, the twins made it even more comical as Fred pretended to squeal in fright and jump right into George's arms, he two of them cowering away from her. She rolled her eyes in amusement as everyone laughed at them, and she shook her head at them as she went over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting.

"Hey," she greeted as she approached them. "Harry's still not back yet?"

"He is, but he wasn't feeling so great," Hermione replied. "I think this first Occlumency lesson really took a toll on him, he was very pale and sweaty."

"I'm telling you, Snape will make this hell for him," Ron stated angrily.

"He went up to bed a little early, but I think we need to check on him," Hermione said.

"I'll go," Mia said. "I'll be back soon."

Mia left them at the table and then went over to the boy's staircase that led up to their dormitories, a little concerned for Harry. Hermione was right, since this was his first lesson, she was sure that there would be some unpleasant after-effects from having his mind attacked and fiddled with multiple times, especially by Snape. She just wanted to make sure he was doing all right. When she reached the fifth years' room, she saw shocked to hear that there was maniacal laughter coming from inside, through the crack in the door. Joyous, ecstatic laughter that was familiar, and yet different at the same time. Mia hurried through the door to see that Harry was on the floor, twisting around and clutching his head as if he were pained, yet laughing all the same, his eyes shut tight.

"Harry!" Mia called out as she rushed to his side, bending down on her knees to steady him. _"Harry!"_

Harry was still laughing uncontrollably, and, thinking fast, Mia used her hand to smack him sharply against his cheek, hoping it would snap him out of it. He let out a cry of pain at the contact, but the laughing was reduced, and after a few more seconds, Harry's eyes snapped open, staring around wildly until they focused on her. His movements instantly stopped and the laughter ceases, his smile vanishing and his breathing a bit labored. His face was indeed very pale, and he had broken out into a terrible sweat.

"Mia?" he said.

"Yeah, it's me," she said. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I…I don't know," Harry said slowly. "He's happy. Really, really happy."

"Voldemort?"

"Yeah, something good's happened. Something he's been hoping for."

Harry groaned a little after he said this, and he looked as though he was very close to being sick, rubbing at his scar. Mia quickly helped him get to his feet and then led him over to his bed, where he collapsed onto his pillows. He looked absolutely terrible, and so Mia got into bed next to him and then forced him to put his head in her lap.

"Just hush and relax," Mia said when he tried to protest, giving him a smirk. "We can talk about your manly pride some other time, okay? You won't do yourself any good getting worked up like this. Just relax."

To help him out, Mia gently started running her fingers through his hair, and she heard Harry faintly sigh, his muscles instantly coming out of their stiff posture.

"Any idea what made him so happy?" she asked softly.

"No," Harry admitted. "It must be something big…I haven't felt my scar hurt like that since the night he came back. I don't think that Occlumency lesson helped, my mind feels weaker, not stronger."

"It was only the first one," Mia reminded him. "I'm sure the more practice you get, the better you'll be able to defend your mind. What did Snape say?"

"He said that I'm weak," Harry muttered with a deep frown. "Because I can't control my emotions and empty my mind."

"This is coming from the man who completely lost it because a bunch of thirteen year olds and an animangus got the best of him. He's a bit of a hypocrite, isn't he?" Mia said. To her delight, Harry managed the smallest of snorts and she could see the corners of his mouth lift.

"I just wish I didn't have to deal with him at all," Harry said. "I would much rather be spending my time with you."

"Who wouldn't? I mean, I am pretty amazing if I do say so myself," Mia said with a shrug of her shoulders. This one got an actual laugh out of him and Mia smiled in triumph. She leaned down over him, her hair touching his cheeks as she placed a soft kiss right on his scar, and he let out a quiet noise, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked worriedly, quickly drawing away.

"No. It felt really nice," he sighed. "Some of the pain is going away. Thanks, Mia."

"You're welcome," she said. "What else did Snape say? I need to keep track so I can add it to the list of reasons why I need to hex him."

"Throw in one for me too, will you?" Harry chortled. "He said I have to try and empty my mind before I go to sleep at night, it'll help if Voldemort tries to access it."

"Then I'll stop talking and let you try to sleep," Mia said. "I know you can't stand him, but if this will help, you should try. I'll stay with you."

Harry hummed his appreciation, and then they sat there together in silence for a while, with her running her fingers through his hair gently and Harry becoming more at ease, his body slumping into the mattress. After some time, Harry's breathing eventually evened out, and he was soon sound asleep. Mia smiled down at him as she carefully removed his glasses from his face, placing them over on his bedside table. She smoothed his bangs away from his face before she placed another tender kiss on his scar.

 _You keep away from him,_ she thought fiercely as she stared down at the lightning bolt scar. _If you ever try to hurt him, physically or mentally, you'll be sorry. I can promise you that._

…..

 **MASS BEAKOUT FROM AZKABAN: MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS "RALLYING POINT" FOR OLD DEATH EATERS**

"What?!" Mia exclaimed angrily as she stared down at the headline for the _Daily Prophet,_ which Hermione currently had spread out before them at their house table in the Great Hall. "They can't mean—"

"Keep it down, Mia," Ron whispered, nudging her in the side.

"Just read it," Hermione urged. Mia scowled down at the pictures of the ten escaped Azkaban prisoners and started to read the article underneath them along with the others.

 _The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban. Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, confirmed that ten high security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening, and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals._

 _"We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person to ever break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached."_

"So you're telling me that Suffles somehow got out of Grimmuald Place, made it all the way out to Azkaban and took the time the help his beloved cousin and her Death Eater friends escape and make it all the way back to London in time for a cup of tea with Kreacher?" Mia deadpanned in a low whisper.

"Well, there you are, Harry, that's why he was so happy last night," Ron said.

"It's no wonder, he has some of his most faithful servants by his side again," Hermione said, frowning down at the paper. "I can't believe this, Dumbledore warned Fudge this would happen! He's going to get us all killed because he can't face the truth."

"How come no one else looks concerned about this?" Ron asked as he glanced around the hall. "Only the teachers seem to care about what happened."

"Not everyone reads the paper every day, Ron," Mia told him. "Right now, their biggest concerns don't stretch much farther than the walls of the castle."

"I can't believe Fudge is blaming Sirius for this," Harry snarled.

"I'm not that surprised anymore," Mia stated. "Fudge will do anything so he doesn't have to admit that he's wrong about this. Look at all these people…Augustus Rookwood, Antonin Dolohov, and Bellatrix Les-Lestrange…"

Mia's voice trailed off a bit as she stared down at the caption underneath Lestrange's picture, which held a woman who was most likely very beautiful once upon a time. However, like Sirius, Azkaban had transformed her, making her dark locks tangled and straggly, her skin very pale, although her lips retained a vivid red color, her heavy-lidded eyes so dark they were almost black, and her expression somewhat demented as she smiled up at her, as if she knew something Mia didn't. However, Mia was more focused on the caption which read, _Bellatrix Lestrange, convicted of the torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom._

"Longbottom," Mia said quietly, her eyes going wide as a dreadful realization came over her. "Not—"

"Yes," Harry said from next to her, glaring down at the picture. "Neville's parents."

"You knew?" Mia asked.

"We ran into Neville and his grandmother while we were visiting Dad at the hospital," Ron explained. "They were visiting his parents. Lestrange and some others tortured the Longbottoms for hours until they lost their minds, and now they're permanent residents there."

"What?" Mia gasped in disbelief. "Why?"

"They were Aurors," Hermione replied. "More than likely they wanted information from them, and took it too far."

Mia's face instantly fell at this news, and she glanced down the table at Neville, who was staring down at the _Prophet_ with a blank, pale face, but his eyes burning fiercely and the iron grasp of his fingers crinkling the paper in front of him. She felt so terrible for Neville, she couldn't imagine how knowing that the person who tortured his parents is out running free was effecting him. Mia and the others continued reading the paper to see that along with the mass breakout from Azkaban, there was also the death of Broderick Bode, who had been a patient at St. Mungo's. Harry, Ron and Hermione had run into him at the hospital too, and they were shocked to read that he had been killed by Devil's Snare, which was disguised as a potted plant on his bedside table.

"That's a dirty trick," Mia said with a deep frown. "No one would ever expect someone to send in Devil's Snare as a gift, and it works so quickly by the time anyone noticed, it would be too late."

"Tell me about it," Ron said, absentmindedly massaging his neck, no doubt remembering the last time they had gotten entangled in Devil's Snare. "That Bode name does sound familiar, though…wait! I remember Dad talking about him at home. He was an Unspeakable! He worked in the Department of Mysteries!"

"He did?" Hermione said, her eyes wide.

"This couldn't have anything to do with my dreams, could it?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure Harry. As much as I don't want there to be a connection, there might be," Mia said. After she had helped Harry fall asleep last night, she returned to the common room to sit with Ron and Hermione, and they told her in hushed whispers about the door that Harry has been dreaming about for months, the door which led into the Department of Mysteries. They all made a guess that that was where the secret weapon that Voldemort didn't have the last time was hidden. It certainly explained why Voldemort was so interested in it, and why Mr. Weasley had been keeping guard outside of it the night he was attacked. Mia herself had been astounded by the news, and a part of her was very worried. If Voldemort was desperate enough to have his hands on this weapon, then how long would it be before he succeeded? Mia was brought out of her thoughts by Hermione jumping from her seat, still glaring down at the pictures of the escaped Death Eaters.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked, startled.

"To send a letter," she answered, swinging her bag on her shoulder, deep in thought. "It…well, I don't know whether…but it's worth trying…and I'm the only one who can…I'll see you guys later!"

"I _hate_ when she does that," Ron grumbled as Hermione skittered away. "Would it kill her to tell us what she's up to for once? Mia, what is she talking about?"

"How am I supposed to know? I love Hermione, but she confuses even me sometimes," Mia said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Come on, we should probably get going."

The three of them then stood up from the table and started making their way out of the Great Hall, with Harry reaching out and taking Mia's hand in his. She smiled at him as they walked out into the entrance Hall, where they found Hagrid standing by the front doors, waiting for a group of Ravenclaws to pass. Mia's smile disappeared at the sight of him—he looked just as badly bruised and cut as the last time they had seen him, with no signs of healing at all.

"All righ' you three?" he said when they reached him, giving them what must have been a pain-filled smile.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" Mia asked. "Those bruises look very bad."

"Looks worse than it is," Hagrid reassured her, his smile growing even wider at the sight of her hand clasped with Harry's. "It's good ter see you two together. Proves there's still somthin' good in the world, yeh see."

"Thanks," Harry said while Mia gave him a sweet smile. "Are you sure you're all right, Hagrid?"

"Fine, fine," he mumbled, waving a hand. "Jus' busy, yeh know, usual stuff—lessons to prepare, couple o' slamanders got scale rot…and I'm on probation."

 _"You're on probation?!"_ Ron exclaimed loudly.

"Yeah, s'no more'n I expected ter tell yeh the truth. Yeh migh' not've picked up on it, bu' that inspection didn' go too well, yeh know…anyway, bes' go and rub a bit more chili powder on them slamanders or their tails'll be hangin' off'em next. See yeh Harry, Ron, Mia…"

Mia watched sadly as Hagrid walked through the doors and out onto the grounds, wishing there was something she could do to cheer him up. How much more bad news can they possibly take? If Hagrid is on probation, it won't be too much longer before Umbridge deems it fit to sack him. The thought troubled Mia because she just couldn't picture Hogwarts without Hagrid. Back in second year he had been arrested and taken away from the school, but she had been petrified at the time, along with Hermione, so she didn't know what it was like not to have Hagrid around, nor did she ever want to find out. Hagrid was such a good man with a big heart, and he was one of the things that made Hogwarts great. She wouldn't know what to do if he was forced to leave.

The next couple of weeks didn't prove to be much better. News of the breakout from Azkaban finally had gotten around within the first couple of days after it happened, and there were many whispers in the corridors about it. Many of those whispers were centered around Harry as well, but Mia was happy to hear that not all of them were as hostile or malicious as they had been before. They had taken on a more curious tone, which led her to believe that they were beginning to have doubts about the Ministry's version of things. Unless they start believing what Harry and Dumbledore have been trying to tell everyone, how else could they explain why ten high security prisoners escaped from Azkaban all at once? Some of the names of the Death Eaters alone struck fear into people's hearts, especially those who had been effected by the terrors of the first war, such as Neville, and Susan Bones, whose aunt, uncle, and cousins had all been murdered by a couple of those Death Eaters when she was a small child. And the teachers couldn't even talk about it, at least not out loud, because thanks to Umbridge's new Educational Decree, teachers were banned from giving students any sort of information that doesn't relate to their assigned subjects. With everything that is going on in the school and outside, Mia could only hope that people would start believing soon.

The only way they could really rebel or take revenge on the unfairness of everything was to continue on with the D.A meetings. They still stuck to once a week, although there were times the day had to be changed, but thanks to the enchanted coins, communication was never an issue. Mia could tell Harry was very proud of all they had accomplished, and everyone was eager to learn more. He went on to teach them the Shield charm, which, if casted properly, could protect oneself from minor jinxes to full blown out attacks. Some of the members had a difficult time making the shield stay up once it was cast, and Harry moved around the room, helping out as best he could.

"This charm requires speed as well as strength," he told them. "In a duel, a wizard needs to be fast when casting this spell to block any curses that come at them from their opponent as well as strong will to keep it up long enough to cast your own."

Mia was having some difficulty with this spell, and it irritated her that she could fully stop Hermione from sending a tickling hex her way. Harry stood close by watching until he came over to stand by right next to her.

"Here," he said gently, moving so he was partially behind her and placing his hand on top of the one that was holding her wand. Her heart beat faster, having him so close to her, and she could feel her cheeks turn a little pink at the contact, hoping he couldn't hear the sound of her heartbeat. He took her hand at her side and made her do a simple wand motion, bringing it up and over in a circular motion and stopping right in front of her face, as if she were drawing a sword for battle. The motion made her press closer to him, and she had to keep herself focused on what he was trying to teach her.

"You don't have to flourish your wand so much," he said. "Time is precious for this spell, so quick and smooth is the key."

"Thank you, Professor Potter, I'll try to remember that," she said with a smirk. Harry rolled his eyes at her but smiled all the same as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"And how do you expect me to focus if you keep doing that?" she asked.

"Maybe I like seeing you all flustered," he replied with a wicked smirk of his own.

"You're evil," Mia stated, giving him a mock glare. Before Harry could reply to that, there was a shriek and the two of them turned to see that Alex was ducking out of the way as the hex he sent over at Rachel had rebounded off of her shield and was heading straight over towards Ginny, who had her back turned, as she was practicing with Luna.

"Ginny!" Mia called to her, moving away from Harry. _"Protego!"_

Within the next second, Mia had thrown up a shield around Ginny just in time. The red light of the hex hit the shield dead on and vanished from sight, keeping Ginny safe. Everyone turned their heads to Mia.

"Mia that was great," Hermione praised. "I thought you said you were having trouble?"

"I was," Mia said in surprise. "I don't know how I just did that."

"Well, you might have trouble protecting yourself, but you have no issue protecting others," Harry stated with a smile.

"See, we knew you were a bad influence, Harry," Fred said with a shake of his head. "In no time at all you're going to have Mia battling monsters, entering dangerous tournaments—"

"—and stepping in to save blokes she doesn't even like," George finished, ending it with a dramatic sigh. "Oh Freddie, where did we go wrong with her?"

"We let her spend too much time with this prat," Fred answered, jerking his thumb over at Harry. "Now she's forgotten that we exist."

"Yes, we used to get hugs all the time, now we're lucky to get a hello once in a blue moon," George said, sniffling. "We thought we meant more to you, Mia darling."

The twins' dramatic actions made everyone around them snicker and Mia rolled her eyes while giving them both affectionate smacks on the arms, chuckling. Once the lesson was over, everyone left the Room of Requirement and headed back to their common rooms. It was some time later that Mia found herself sitting in Harry's lap in front of the fireplace, cuddled up against his chest while his one arm was wrapped around her and his other hand was lazily playing with her hair. Hermione was sitting next to them reading a book while Ron was attempting to build a castle out of Exploding Snap cards.

"You know, Valentine's Day is coming up soon," Harry said to her.

"Not for another few weeks though," Mia said. "I thought you didn't like stuff like that?"

"I'm not completely against it. Besides, it will give me the chance to take you out on a proper first date," Harry explained with a smile. "I have a couple things planned."

"Harry, you don't have to do that," Mia told him. "As long as we can spend the day together, I'm happy, even if it's just sitting around like we are now, doing nothing."

"But I want this one to be special, it's our first Valentine's Day together," Harry said, holding her closer. "Just enlighten me, okay? I know you'll love it."

"All right," Mia agreed. "You know this is going to drive me crazy, not know what you have planned?"

"That's what makes it even more fun," Harry grinned, leaning in to kiss her lips.

"Urgh, can you guys please not do that in front of us?" Ron groaned, making a face. "It's so weird seeing you guys kissing."

"No one told you to watch, Ron," Hermione said from behind her book.

"How can I when they're sitting right there?"

"It's called having tact and looking away, you should try it sometime."

"And at least we don't snog all the time in public, although we could arrange that, especially when you're around," Mia added with a devilish grin.

"No, no," Ron pleaded, pure horror on his face at the thought of his two best friends full out snogging in front of him. Please, don't—"

"Hey Ron, isn't that Pig?" Hermione pointed out, looking over at the closest window. They all looked to see Pig fluttering right outside of it, holding a few letters in his beak. Ron, probably desperate for a distraction, got up from the floor and went over to let Pig inside. Once he was in, the tiny owl flew a few laps above their heads before landing on the arm of the loveseat next to Mia and dropping the letters into her lap. He gave her a sharp but affectionate nip at her fingers before taking off again and flying through the window.

"Bloody bird," Ron muttered as he shut the window closed. "Who are the letters from?"

"Well, these two are from my parents," Mia replied, staring down at her mother's familiar handwriting on the first letter. When she looked over at the second letter, she had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing.

"Harry, this one's for you," she said, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice. "From my dad."

All at one, Harry's eyes widened and a look of unease and slight fear crossed over his face, and Mia could almost hear him swallow the lump in his throat. He took the letter from her and slowly started opening it, as if he were afraid something deadly might pop out of it and attack him. Mia resisted the urge to giggle at her boyfriend's face, deciding to take the time to read the letter Catherine had sent her.

 _Dear Mia,_

 _Well, I'm not going to beat around the bush with this so I'll just say it—congratulations on you and Harry finally getting together!_

"Honestly, did _everyone_ know about me and Harry except us?" Mia said incredulously.

"Yes!" Ron and Hermione chimed in together.

 _I was so happy to receive your letter telling us the news, I always knew you two would eventually start dating, once you got around to accepting the fact that you both liked each other. Even from when you were children, I had a feeling this would happen, and I'm so glad it did, because I think you two would make the cutest couple. Now, I know you've been in a relationship before, so I know this is nothing new to you, but I just want you to know I'm here for you if you need to ask about anything, and your father is too, although he said there were some things he would rather not know. He's writing his own letter to Harry now, and I'm a little concerned about what it says. Just let Harry know that whatever Ben puts in there, it's only the words of a father looking out for his daughter._

 _I could tell from your last letter alone that you are very happy Mia, and that's all I can ask for. I'm glad that Harry makes you feel so happy, and you know I wish nothing but the absolute best for you two. I don't have to tell you to be careful, you're a growing woman and I won't be overbearing, but you know the "do's" and the "don'ts" so don't think for a minute that I won't march right up there and set you two straight if this relationship diverts you from your studies or anything else._

 _I really hope you don't mind Mia, but your father and I went to visit the Weasleys the other day (their house is just fascinating, it feels like a new adventure whenever we visit), and the topic of you and Harry came up. Needless to say, Molly was thrilled and Arthur had to calm her down a bit. I'm sure you want this as low key as possible, they promised not to mention it to anyone, they've just become such good friends, I had to tell them the good news._

 _I love you both very much, please write again soon when you have the time, and keep up the good work with your studies._

 _Love,_

 _Mom_

Mia smiled down at the letter, happy that a least Catherine approved of her and Harry being together. Harry had always been like family to the Thatchers, so it really wasn't a surprise that he and Mia dating wouldn't be a problem. She placed the letter back into its envelope before turning to the last letter, which was addressed to Mia in unfamiliar handwriting. She opened it and then read through the entire letter, her eyes going wide with each word, and her mouth dropping open.

"Mia?" Hermione said. "What is it?"

"You look like you got hit over the head," Ron said.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, placing his own letter down. Mia couldn't reply to him, so she simply passed the letter over, still flabbergasted at what she just read, hardly daring to believe it.

"What does it say, Harry?" Ron said.

"It's a letter from some lawyer," Harry replied as he read through. "He works for the Brugger family…they read Mrs. Brugger's will last week…Mia inherited something from her."

"Really?" Hermione said. "What did she inherit?"

"According to this, some personal items, all of her old books, and—whoa," Harry said, his own eyes going wide as he stared down at the letter. "Mrs. Brugger left Mia almost four-thousand pounds."

"What?!" Hermione exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah, apparently she had a savings account for emergencies, and when she got sick she made sure that if anything happened to her Mia would get it."

"Four-thousand pounds," Mia whispered, shaking her head.

"I don't get it, is it a lot of money?" Ron asked.

"It's a lot for someone to inherit so suddenly," Hermione said. "If you convert that to wizard money, it's just over thirteen-hundred galleons."

"Bloody hell!" Ron said.

"I don't want the money," Mia mumbled sadly, leaning her head against Harry's shoulder. "I'd rather her still be alive."

It was silent between the four of them, and Mia could feel the burning sensation build up in her eyes again. Harry took a moment to wrap his other arm around her and hold her close, tucking her head underneath his chin and just giving her comfort. Mia savored the warmth his arms gave her, and she wished more than anything that Mrs. Brugger was still here, just so she could write to her and tell her that she was right all along about her and Harry. She could see the elderly woman in her mind's eye, smiling a crinkled smile, her gray eyes twinkling.

 _I told you so, Sweets. Now that you have him, don't be foolish enough to let him go._

…

Valentine's Day dawned bright and early, and when Mia awoke, she instantly felt nervous as well as excited. This was the first Valentine's Day she was spending with Harry as his girlfriend. She was curious to see what he had planned for the day, but she was also concerned about how to act. She and Harry honestly haven't been dating for very long at all, and while they found the simple things like holding hands and kissing easy, they were still getting used to behaving more like a couple rather than friends. She only hoped she wouldn't do or say anything to mess up whatever Harry has in store for them today. After she got out of the shower, she laid out a bunch of clothes on her bed and just stared at them, trying to figure out what to wear.

"Why are you stressing over it, Mia?" Rachel asked from her bed in amusement.

"You know Harry won't care what you wear," Hermione added in.

"I still want to look nice though!" Mia protested. "Urgh, I've never had this much trouble figuring out what to wear…"

"All right, that's it," Rachel said as she got up from her bed and came over to Mia's clothes, sorting through them quickly and grabbing a couple things. "Hermione, could you please grab my make-up kit from my bag?"

"What are you doing?" Mia said.

"At the rate you're going, you're never going to be ready in time," Rachel replied before thrusting some clothes into Mia's hands. "Now go into the bathroom and put these on, then Hermione and I will take care of the rest, now shoo!"

Five minutes later, Mia was looking at herself in the bathroom mirror, wondering what on earth Rachel must have been thinking. She had Mia get dressed in a simple blue V-neck sweater, a soft wool white scarf, dark blue jeans, and a pair of black ankle boots. A worried frown came across her lips as she came out of the bathroom.

"Rachel, are you sure about this?" she asked. "This seems a bit simple…"

"Mia, what you don't realize is that you have the ability to make 'simple' simply breathtaking," Rachel told her with an encouraging smile. "That sweater matches your eyes, the jeans compliment your figure, the scarf is a cute accessory that will help keep you warm, and as for the boots, there may be less snow on the ground than before, but it's still muddy, so you don't want to be slipping and sliding all over the place."

"How do you know all of this?" Mia said.

"My aunt works at Madame Malkins, remember? I know a thing or two about clothes, even Muggle ones," Rachel explained. "Now come here, we need to do a few last minute touches."

Within the next couple minutes the girls set to work, with Hermione running a brush through Mia's hair and Rachel putting very light make-up on her face, which included blush for her cheeks, eye-shadow that matched her skin tone, and nude lip gloss. When Hermione was all done with her hair, she placed a brown headband in it, and then it was only another minute before Rachel was done with the make-up. Once they were completely finished, they dragged Mia back over to the mirror, and she was stunned at what she saw. Rachel made it so that it didn't look like she was wearing any make-up at all, but Mia could clearly see its effects, and Hermione had pulled some of her hair back with a clip so that it was out of her face, yet still draped over her shoulders. That, along with the outfit, made Mia feel very pretty indeed.

"I look…" she said.

"Gorgeous? Magnificent? Incredible?" Rachel said.

"We did good," Hermione stated, giving Mia a one-armed hug. "Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast, and we need to show you off."

The three girls quickly got their things together and then left the dorm room, walking down the spiral staircase into the common room. It was there that Mia saw Harry already waiting with Ron, leaning against the back of the loveseat and punching the redhead lightly on the arm while Ron laughed at something. Mia couldn't help but observe Harry, noticing how handsome he looked. He wore dark jeans as well, with a gray long-sleeved shirt underneath a black denim jacket, and matching shoes on his feet. Mia couldn't help but think of Rachel's words in her mind: simple, yet breathtaking. She stared at him for a little longer until Hermione cleared her throat, gaining the boy's attention. The second Harry set his eyes on her, he looked as though someone hit him over the head with a Bludger, his eyes widening as he took her in, his mouth slightly agape. Ron snickered at him, which seemed to snap Harry out of it, and he gave Mia an awe-filled smile.

"You look amazing," he said.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a shy smile in return while ignoring the smug looks Hermione and Rachel were sending her way. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Yeah well, it took him forever to figure out what to wear," Ron sniggered. "It was like watching a girl."

Harry's response to that was punching Ron on the shoulder yet again, making the girls laugh. When they all decided to head down to the Great Hall, Mia saw Harry bend down to pick up a rucksack and hitch in on his shoulder. When she asked what it was, he just smiled at her and said that it was a surprise for later. This made her even more intrigued and she started wondering what Harry had planned for the day. By the time they reached the hall breakfast had already started but they arrived just in time to receive the morning mail. There was one large brown owl that swooped down gracefully towards Hermione and landed next to her, holding a letter in its beak.

"Finally," Hermione breathed as she tugged the letter out of the bird's beak. "If it hadn't come by today…"

"If what hadn't come by today?" Mia asked, but Hermione didn't respond. She hastily opened the letter and read through it quickly. By the time she was done there was something of a bittersweet smile on her face, as though she received good news but didn't like the idea of it. However when she brought her gaze back over to Harry, her smile vanished and her expression became deeply apologetic.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I know you wanted to spend the day with Mia, but would it be possible for us to meet up around midday?"

"What?" Harry said. "Hermione, I've—"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, but this is very important!" Hermione pleaded. "Mia should come along too though, but I promise it shouldn't tale too long at all. Will you come? Please?"

Harry frowned at this for a moment before turning to look at Mia, add though skiing get what she thought. Mia was really looking forward to spending the entire day with Harry, just the two of them enjoying Hogsmeade together and she didn't like the idea of having it cut short. But then again, Hermione knew how much they've been looking forward to this, and she wouldn't ask them to do this unless it was truly important. After taking one look into her friend's pleading brown eyes, Mia sighed softly before agreeing.

"What exactly is this about?" Harry asked.

"I'll explain it to you later, I've got to reply to this!" Hermione answered as she shot to her feet and then hurried away, but not before saying "I'll see you at the Three Broomsticks!"

"She's completely mental," Ron stated bluntly as he watched her go.

"What are you going to do today, Ron?" Mia asked while taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Angelina wants a full day of practice," Ron replied. "She wants us at our best for the match against Hufflepuff."

"How's Ginny doing as Seeker?" said Harry.

"Pretty good, although we all know she's the best at being a Chaser," said Ron. "I should probably hurry up and get going before Angelina sends the mob after me."

Ron quickly scarfed down the rest of his breakfast before bidding Harry and Mia goodbye, and walking out of the Great Hall. Harry watched him go with a look of slight envy and Mia suddenly felt sad for him.

"You really miss it, don't you?" she said. "Playing Quidditch?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "It's one of the things that makes Hogwarts great for me, and she took it away, just like she's taking everything else."

Harry spit out the word "she" with venom and contempt, and a deep frown was settling on his face. Miss reached over and placed her hand over his, tracing her thumb over his knuckles.

"Hey," she said to him softly. "Is our day, remember? Don't let that toad ruin it."

He looked back at her and gave her an apologetic smile, raising her hand to kiss the back of it.

"You're right," he agreed. "Come on, let's go."

With that being said, Mia and Harry left the hall together and joined the many others who were waiting to pass through the gates of the grounds and on to Hogsmeade. They talked and joked around as they made their way down the frosted slopes, and Mia smiled when she saw the village drawing nearer.

"Okay, so what's on the agenda for today?" she asked him, looping her arm through his. "What dangerous adventure do you have planned for us?"

"Well, it'll start off with a waltz through a square and stopping at all of our favorite places," Harry chuckled. "But first we need to head over to Honeydukes for supplies."

"Supplies? For what?"

"You'll see."

"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to want to kill you by the time the day is done?"

Harry just laughed at her as he led her through the paths of the village, past the familiar houses and places of business. There already were many Hogwarts students walking this way and that way, poking their heads into shops and having a good time with friends, despite the fact that almost every shop in the village had a poster in their windows about the ten escaped Death Eaters, and how the Ministry was offering a reward for their capture. Mia glanced at one as they passed by the post office, their twisted maniacal expressions sneering at her. The last time someone escaped from Azkaban, there had been groups of dementors guarding the village day and night, but now there was none. It seemed as though the Ministry truly had lost their control over them. It wasn't too long before they arrived at Honeydukes and upon entering they had to squeeze closer together as the candy shop was even more packed than usual, with many voices talking over one another and people excitedly drooling over the many different varieties of delicious treats, the scent of chocolate and sugar prominent in the compacted space. Mia stuck close to Harry's side as they made their way around, their eyes scanning the many shelves. There were a lot of Valentine's Day themed candies as well, such as tiny bottles filled with different flavored juices displayed as love potions, and fizzing mints that created crystalized hearts in the air while you sucked on them. Mia and Harry picked up some of their favorites along with new treats they haven't tried yet, and Harry insisted that he pay for them.

After they left Honeydukes, the two of them went to visit the other shops together, having a fun little shopping spree. Harry bought a couple things at Zonko's and Mia bought herself a new book and a small magical train set in Hogsmeade's version of an antique shop for Brian, knowing that he would love it. During this time, they talked about many things, ranging from Quidditch, to future summer plans, and Mia's apparent "strange" taste in music. The best part was that there were never any awkward silences or periods where they were uncomfortable, or bored. They knew each other so well, and Harry was always someone who Mia felt completely and utterly at ease with. Back in third year when she had dated Noah for a while, it was awkward and so brand new for a little bit until they got really comfortable with one another. But this, with Harry, was different. It was better. They kept this up for quite a while, and the time went by much faster than either of them would have liked. Harry suggested that they head over to the Three Broomsticks.

"I thought Hermione said at meet her at midday?" Mia said. "We still have at least an hour."

"I know, but since we're meeting her, I had to move up the plans a bit," Harry explained. "We'll need some food from the inn."

Mia raised an eyebrow at him but before she could reply he took her hand and led her back through the village towards the Three Broomsticks. When they reached it they stepped inside to see Madame Rosmerta at the bar, cleaning out some tankards. She created them cheerfully and asked what they would like to have. Not even fifteen minutes later, Mia and Harry were leaving the Three Broomsticks with two bags of steaming food, and two bottles of butterbeer. It was at this point that Harry became more secretive than ever, not saying much as he started taking them a little ways from the village and down the path that was in the same direction as the Shrieking Shack.

"Harry, where are you taking me?" Mia said as he suddenly diverted from the path and went along the side of Cornham's Relic's, which wasn't far from the Hog's Head.

"We're almost there," Harry replied as they ducked under some low tree branches that were still covered with snow and leaving a foot trail behind them. "Just a little more…we're here."

Harry moved a clump of bushes to the side to allow Mia to pass and she gasped softly, for he had led her to a large clearing that had a huge frozen pond right in the middle of it, reminding her of the one behind her family's cottage in Peddleton. The entire area was decorated with crystalized frost of the trunks of the trees, dangling icicles from the branches that reflected the sunlight, and still plenty of snow on the ground to make it look like a greeting card. Mia stood gaping at it for another minute before turning back to Harry, who had set the rucksack down and was pulling out a wool blanket as well as two pairs of skates.

"A picnic and ice skating?" she said.

"It's not too much, is it?" he asked. "I know that picnics are more for warm weather, but I know how much you love winter, and the roots from the trees can be used for us to sit on, and we haven't been skating together in a while, so I thought—"

Mia cut off Harry's rambling by giggling and then hurrying forward to throw her arms around him and kiss him full on the lips. Harry didn't seem to mind, for her just smiled into the kiss and held her against him.

"I'm guessing I did good?" he said when they separated.

"It's perfect," Mia replied. "How did you find this place?"

"Remember in third year when I had to rush back before Malfoy snitched on me after I snuck out?" Harry said, to which she nodded. "I actually cut through here to save some time, and when I was trying to think of where to take you, I figured this would be a good place."

You were right," Mia stated with a fond smile. "Thank you, Harry."

 **Well, did you guys like it? In sorry if Harry seemed a little out of character because I know he's more of a hopeless romantic in the movies/books, but you have all been waiting for HarryxMia romantic moments for so long I wanted to give you at least one chapter that's full of them. Just let me know if I overdid it, okay? And sorry for the many spelling mistakes, I promise I'll fix that. See you guys next week!**


	18. Think Happy Thoughts

**Hey everyone. I'm very sorry about the late update, it's been a terrible day for me and I honestly forgot all about posting this chapter until just now. It's not my best one, so I do apologize for that, a lot of it is canon, just a heads up, but I hope you all like it just the same. Let me know what you think and I'll see you in the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Eighteen: Think Happy Thoughts

MiaPOV

 _ **HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST: THE TRUTH ABOUT HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED AND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN**_

If there was ever a time when Mia would be interested or even excited to read an article, it would most definitely be now. This headline of the _Quibbler_ was stamped out in bright red letters across a picture of Harry looking sheepishly up from the cover. It was an amazing sight to see, and Mia reminded herself to congratulate Hermione on the sheer brilliance of her mind.

Earlier that week, after Mia and Harry experienced a wonderful first date on Valentine's Day, they had went to meet up with Hermione at the Three Broomsticks like they promised, only to be stunned to see that along with Hermione there was Luna Lovegood and none other than Rita Skeeter, the horrible reporter from the _Daily Prophet_ and the woman who slandered Harry throughout the Triwizard Tournament last year. To say that Mia was confused would be a great understatement, as she had no idea why Hermione would invite Skeeter, one of the people Hermione hates the most, to lunch with them. As it turned out, Hermione had a brilliant plan in the works, and once she explained it to Mia and Harry, she couldn't help but feel excited. Hermione still had Skeeter under her thumb since she had found out about the woman being an unregistered animangus, and she threatened that if she couldn't keep her quill to herself for a whole year, she would go blabbing to the authorities. Using that to her advantage, Hermione had set up a meeting between them all so that Harry could give a proper interview about what happened the night that Voldemort returned. Luna was there with them because since there was no way the _Prophet_ would ever publish the interview, Mr. Lovegood had gladly accepted the offer of printing it in his magazine. And due to Hermione's temporary power over her, Skeeter could not alter the story as she saw fit—she had to write down everything Harry said, word for word.

This was Harry's chance to finally get the word out of what truly happened that terrible night, and Mia could tell he was nervous about it. Besides Dumbledore, Harry had only ever told her what had happened in full detail, and she knew that having to retell it once again was something he wasn't really looking forward to, but he knew how important it was. Therefore, for the next hour or so Skeeter had asked Harry very detailed questions about that night while Harry told her about what he had experienced. Although, Hermione did have to set her straight every now and then, for when Mia and Harry had first entered the pub holding hands, Skeeter practically dove for her quill and couldn't help but add in a whispered question about it every once in a while.

Now, only days later, the interview was published, and it sure came as a shock to everyone when Harry suddenly had a bunch of owls land in front of him with letters written by witches and wizards from all around the country. Through the cluster of feathers, Hermione was able to dish out the magazine, and both her and Mia were positively beaming. Mia, Hermione, Ron, the twins and Luna, who had wandered over from the Ravenclaw table, all started opening the letters from the readers while Harry looked over the interview he had given.

"This women recommends you try a good course of Shock Spells at St. Mungo's," said Hermione with a disappointed look.

"Here's one from a bloke who thinks you're off your rocker," Ron stated as he crumpled up the letter and tossed it over his shoulder before reaching for the next one.

"Hey, this woman says she believes me!" Harry said after opening one of the letters himself.

"This one here doesn't know whether to believe you or not," Fred muttered with a shake of his head. "What a waste of parchment…"

"Here's another one you've convinced, Harry!" Hermione gushed enthusiastically.

"This one is good too, but sad," Mia said. "Listen to this: 'Sixteen years ago I lost my family to You-Know-Who and his followers, and I've never truly believed that he was gone for good. Now, after reading your story, I know now more than ever that it must be true, because pretending otherwise would be an insult to my family's memory. I want to thank you for bravely taking a stand against those who are trying to smother the truth, and even though there's not much for me left, I will support you with whatever I have.' That's awful."

"At least it's another believer though, unlike this one," Ron says, crumpling up yet another letter. "Well, at least these are better than the ones Hermione got from _Witch Weekly_ last year—"

"What is going on here?"

Everyone turned to see Umbridge standing behind Fred and Luna, eyeing all the owls and envelopes suspiciously.

"Why have you got all those letters, Mr. Potter?" she asked in a falsely sweet voice.

"Is that a crime now? Getting mail?" Fred said loudly.

"Be careful, Mr. Weasley, or I shall have to put you in detention," Umbridge said. "Well, Mr. Potter?"

"People have written to me because I gave an interview," Harry replied, throwing the magazine over at her. "About what happened to me last June."

Umbridge caught the magazine in her hands, but she was staring at Harry with wide eyes, her lips thinning and her face turning an ugly purplish color. She glanced down at the cover and her grip on the magazine tightened, and Mia could hear her trying to control her breathing. She looked positively _livid,_ and Mia felt the satisfaction swell up inside her. She had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing at the indignant, furious expression on her face, and the way she was slowly losing her composure as she brought her heated gaze back to Harry, demanding when he did this interview. Harry told her the truth, that he had done it on the last Hogsmeade visit. Umbridge took a deep, shuddering breath at that point, attempting to get herself under control.

"There will be no more Hogsmeade visits for you, Mr. Potter," she whispered, her voice like ice. "How dare you…how could…I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies. The message, apparently, has not yet sunken in. Fifty points from Gryffindor."

Umbridge then looked over at Mia, and she felt her stomach drop instantly.

"And I'm afraid more detentions are in order…"

"You will _not_ give Mia _my_ detentions!" Harry practically snarled as he stood to his feet to stand off against Umbridge, while George had to keep Ron in his seat, as the redhead made a low growl in his throat and tried to stand as well. "Not anymore. That's the act of a coward."

"What did you just say?" Umbridge seethed.

"You heard me, _Delores,_ " Harry said, his face set in anger and his very presence intimidating.

"No, Harry!" Mia said, dread filling her as she figured out what he was trying to do. "You can't—"

Hermione effectively shut Mia up by reaching over and covering her hand with her mouth, glaring at her and shaking her head.

"Only a cowardly, slimy, good for nothing Ministry official would inflict punishments on an innocent person to avoid facing the problem at hand themselves," Harry continued. "You want to teach me a lesson? Than quit playing games and prove you have the competence to handle me yourself, like your worthless, beloved minister hired you to do."

There was a collective gasp from everyone who was nearby, as by now many students had turned their heads to see what all the commotion was about. Everyone had dumbstruck looks on their faces but Mia didn't pay them any notice—she was staring anxiously from Harry, who was glaring threatening daggers, to Umbridge, who seemed beyond furious at this point. Her whole face was purple, her eyes almost slits and she looked lethal.

"Very well, Mr. Potter," she breathed, using a tone Mia didn't like at all. "If you believe you can truly handle the consequences, then so be it. You will receive a week's worth of detentions, starting tomorrow night, in my office, at five o'clock."

With that being said, Umbridge marched away, the _Quibbler_ clutched in her hands. Harry glared after her for a minute before taking his seat again, and it was only then that Hermione removed her hand from Mia's mouth.

"Hermione, why did you do that?" Mia said.

"Because Harry would have jinxed me if I didn't," Hermione answered defensively.

"Harry, you shouldn't have done that, you know what she's going to do," Mia pressed.

"She's not doing it to you again," Harry said. "Not if I can help it."

"We're with Harry on this one, Mia," George agreed, taking on a more serious tone as he gazed firmly at Mia. "You've hurt yourself enough."

"What?" Mia said, shocked. "How—"

"Lee had detention with Umbridge a couple weeks ago," Fred put in, also glaring after the toad. "She made him write lines too. It didn't take us long to get it out of him. Trust me, she's getting what's coming to her. No one hurts our little sister and friends and gets away with it."

"Hear, hear," Ron grumbled. Mia sagged in her seat, feeling utterly defeated as she gazed sadly down at her plate of food. This was exactly what she had tried so hard to prevent. Harry was going to get hurt, and there's nothing she could do about it.

By mid-morning, a new Educational Decree had been put up, stating that anyone found in possession of the _Quibbler_ would be expelled. However, if there was anything Umbridge could have done to guarantee that everyone would read it, it was most definitely that. The very next day, in response to the ban of the magazine, everyone at Hogwarts was whispering about it to each other and quoting it, giving the impression that while the _Quibbler_ itself wasn't in sight, almost everyone had read it in secret. There were whispers in the back of classrooms, during mealtimes, and even in the bathrooms on every floor of the castle. Umbridge did her very best to try and catch someone with the magazine, but continued to fail. People were bewitching their copies of the magazine to look like their textbooks, or shrinking them to fit in their pockets while Umbridge searched through their bags. The more people read the interview, the more happy Hermione seemed to become, as she was sure that more and more people were starting to believe him. Mia herself was surprised at how quickly everyone's demeanor seemed to be changing. Luna was ecstatic, telling them all that the _Quibbler_ had never sold so many copies, and to top it all off there were some people, such as Seamus, who had actually come up to Harry and offered something of an apology, saying that they believed him now.

Unfortunately, not everything about the day was good. By the time dinner rolled around, Mia was filled with anxiety because Harry had would have to leave soon to do his first detention with Umbridge. She didn't want to think about what she was sure to make him do, and she was quiet throughout most of dinner. When the time came for Harry to go, he gave her a soft peck on the lips, reassuring her that he would be all right. After he left the Great Hall, Mia finished her meal with a glum expression, feeling that she should have done more to make sure Harry didn't have to deal with Umbridge. Ron and Hermione tried cheering her up, which worked a little bit. Once dinner and dessert was all finished, they all went back up to the common room where they rested together until it was time for bed. However, Mia was nowhere near tired. In fact, before the rest of the girls settled into their dormitories for the night, Mia managed to grab her small flask of the special healing balm she had made for herself before when she had had detentions with Umbridge and needed something for her hand. She has modified it since then, experimenting with more ingredients until she was able to come up with something more effective. By adding tears of Mandrakes with mermaid scales, she has managed to make the balm more capable of healing even the most stubborn of cursed injuries. Hopefully this will prevent Harry from having a permanent scar, like she did. She sat on the loveseat and waited long after everyone else had gone to bed, keeping warm by the fire and waiting with a transfigured bowl of water, her balm, and a small wash rag.

Time seemed to tick on by slowly, and Mia tried to keep herself occupied by reading, but she couldn't fully register the words in front of her. She rubbed at her eyes, the sleepiness starting to get to her, but she refused to head up to bed until Harry got back from detention. Mia wasn't sure how much more time passed, but thankfully her waiting came to an end when the portrait opened and Harry finally stepped inside. He looked very tired, but his face was scrunched up in an all too familiar painful expression, his left arm stiff at his side. When he caught sight of Mia sitting on the loveseat, he managed a smile, but Mia didn't smile back. Instead, she quickly got up and walked over to him, worry lacing her features. She tenderly took Harry's hand into hers and gently pulled back his sleeve. Carved into his skin and shining in the light of the lamps with blood dripping down his wrist were the words _I must not tell lies._ Mia could feel her eyes burning at the sight of the words, and she was sure her heart had just dropped painfully into her stomach. Not trusting herself to speak, she led Harry over to the loveseat where she sat him down and pushed his sleeves back even further, giving her better access to his cuts. She took the rag from the nearby table, dipped it into the bowl of water and then gently started dabbing at Harry's hand while he flinched at the contact. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Mia cleaned up his hand, wiping away the blood and forcing herself not to cry like a child. Harry was okay, he was here with her now, but she hated seeing him go through the same suffering she did. After she was done cleaning his hand, she took her balm and started rubbing it on the words, being as careful as she could.

"This is the balm I used before," she said softly, trying to keep her voice even. "It's better now, if we keep using it even after your detentions are over, it shouldn't scar. I put mermaid scale in with it, it will help with any possible infection, and I used Mandrake tears as well, it will make the words fade away easier. I'm not going to let this become permanent like mine, I won't."

"Mia…"

"You have to apply it twice a day, but you can't carry it around with you, Umbridge will search your bag and take it if she finds it, like she did with me. But I can give you some for when you come back at night, it's better to apply right before bed anyway. I don't have too much now, but I'll make some more—"

"Mia," Harry cut in, placing his hand on top of the one that was rubbing the balm over his skin. Mia stilled in her movements, not looking him in the eyes.

"I didn't want this to happen to you," she whispered sadly. "I tried so hard to make sure this didn't happen. I hate her so much…"

"I'm okay," Harry said. "It doesn't hurt so bad."

"Harry, you know that I know that's not true," Mia countered, turning her gaze to him with a fierce glint shining brightly in her eyes. "I know I can't make her stop giving you detentions now, but I'm going to make sure you have no reminders of it."

Harry took a moment to stare at her before her smiled, leaving Mia confused.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked.

"You're adorable when you're mad," Harry said simply, to which Mia snorted in disbelief.

"Oh yeah, I bet I'm a real doll when I'm furious," she said.

"You are, actually," Harry agreed.

"I'm not joking, Harry."

"Neither am I, you're pretty cute. Maybe I should make you mad more often."

"Are you sure you want to do that? Thanks to you I can cast a mean Stinging Hex now."

"I barely had anything to do with that, you just have natural talent."

"Sure, that's why I can cast such a good shield charm, right?"

"When you're trying to protect someone else, yes."

Mia was about to retort, until she realized they had gotten way off track. Glaring, she gave Harry a light smack on the shoulder, frowning.

"Stop distracting me!" she said.

"Sorry, I just don't like seeing you worry," Harry told her.

"I'll always worry about you, so if you think I'm not going to, you've got another thing—"

Mia was cut off from her sentence by Harry taking her hand, pulling her forward and pressing his lips against hers, making her shut right up. While they kissed, Harry used his other arm to wrap itself around her waist and pull her closer to him. When they separated, Mia was slightly breathless and it took her a few seconds to remember what they were talking about.

"I thought I told you not to distract me?" she said.

"I couldn't help it," he said shamelessly before taking on a more sincere tone. "Mia, I know you didn't want this, but I do understand why you put up with it for so long. I would rather take on a hundred of those detentions than have you go through them. It just still amazes me sometimes to see how much you care for me."

"After all these years, it still hasn't gotten through your head?" Mia giggled. "I'll always be here to care for you. You're stuck with me."

"Sounds good to me," Harry said before drawing her in for another kiss.

…..

HarryPOV

 _"Legilimens!"_

 _A hundred dementors were slowly floating towards him, coming ever so closer…he could see the dark holes underneath the hoods…but he also saw Snape as well, standing there, muttering under his breath, and soon he became clearer while the dememtors became fainter. Harry raised his wand._

 _"Protego!"_

 _A hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman while a dark haired child cried in the corner…a greasy-haired teenager was sitting along in a dark bedroom, using his wand to shoot down flies…a girl was laughing while a scrawny boy tried riding a bucking broomstick…_

"ENOUGH!"

Harry staggered backwards as though he had been hit dead in the face, falling against some of Snape's shelves and rattling the glass jars he had stacked up there, almost making them fall over. The potions master was standing opposite of him, breathing heavily, his black eyes narrowed dangerously, and his face extremely pale.

"I don't seem to remember telling you to use the shield charm, Potter," Snape hissed as he picked up his wand from the ground next to him. "However, it seemed to work nonetheless, and it was certainly an improvement, considering your complete lack of progress over the last two months."

Harry just stood there, refusing to answer, for he imagined if he said anything at that point he was in serious trouble. He and Snape had been going at it for what seemed to be hours now, with Snape constantly taking apart his mind as he sorted through his memories and Harry failed again and again tp push him out and protect them. Snape had seen a good number of his worst childhood memories by now as well as his best ones, most of which involved Mia. He saw a few more of his private moments, such as seeing his parents in the Mirror of Erised again, talks with Sirius down at Grimmuald Place, and unfortunately he barged in on yet another dream that Harry had had very recently, not too long after the dreadful Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

This dream had been different from the one with the snake, but yet exactly the same. Harry had been standing inside a dark room, talking with one of the escaped Death Eaters, Rookwood. Rookwood had been telling Harry that another Death Eater by the name of Avery had given him false information, and that the Unspeakable named Bode could not have taken the thing that Harry so desired from the Department of Mysteries himself, and that was why he fought so hard against Malfoy's Imperious Curse. Harry hd been enraged to find out that he had wasted months on worthless plans, but praised Rookwood for giving him the correct information. He ordered him to leave the room, but not before telling him to send Avery inside. After Rookwood was gone, Harry looked over at himself in the mirror and was horrified to see that it was not his face looking back at him, but a pale, thin face with crimson red eyes and a snake-like nose. Needless to say, Snape wasn't happy at all that Harry was still having dreams involving Voldemort, and he berated Harry for it once again, saying he was useless and never working hard enough to discipline his mind. Harry in turn had become angry at this, wishing more than anything that Snape could go through what he had to for once, seeing people he cared for getting attacked and seeing firsthand that Voldemort was up to no good. Yet now, after invading Snape's own memories accidently, Harry had a feeling that he was about to pat for that little stunt.

"Let's try that again, shall we?" Snape said, raising his wand to Harry. "On the count of three. One—two— _Legilimens!"_

 _Harry was racing down the familiar corridor in the Ministry, leading to the Department of Mysteries, past the black-stoned walls and the torches hanging from them…he hurled towards the door, going so fast he was sure to run straight into it…but it opened! He was inside at last, finding himself in a circular room filled with blue flamed candles and many more doors…he just has to figure out which one to take…_

"POTTER!"

Harry gave a shout as he landed on his back on the floor, panting heavily as if he had just run down the length of the corridor, his eyes wide as he took in what just happened. The door had opened…it finally opened. After so very long of wondering what could possibly be on the other side, it actually opened, leading to another room with many more doors, each one leading to who knows what in that department. Harry felt shaky and feverish, and he couldn't help but feel a mixture of anxiety as well as relief that he had finally made it through. Snape didn't seem to think it was a good thing at all, for he demanded an answer from Harry, looking even angrier than he had before, his eyes practically shooting fire. Harry truthfully told him that he didn't know what had happened, that it was the first time the door had opened for him. Snape retorted by saying that of course it did because Harry wasn't putting any effort into making it stop, that he was lazy and incompetent, and that it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord accessed his mind.

At that moment, before Harry could counter back with an angry hiss, there was a sudden scream from somewhere outside of the room, halting Snape's reprimanding. The two of them heard a commotion coming from above them, in what Harry thought might be the Entrance Hall, and when whoever it was screamed again, Snape quickly left the room with his wand raised, and Harry followed shortly after, wondering what on earth was going on. He hurried down the corridors of the dungeons and up the stone steps to see that the Entrance Hall was packed with students as well as teachers, cramming themselves right outside the Great Hall and together on the marble staircase, forming a tight ring. After nudging himself through, Harry was able to get a look at what was happening and was stunned to see that Professor Trelawney was standing in the middle of the ring, crying profusely with her wand in one hand and an empty sherry bottle in the other. There were two trunks beside her, and the woman herself seemed to be falling apart, her hair completely frazzled, her scarves trailing down her shoulders and almost reaching the ground, her face shining with tears.

"T-This c-can't be," she sobbed, staring over at something at the foot of the staircase. "I-It can't!

"Surely you saw that see this coming?" came a wretched sweet voice. "Given your poor performance teaching a class and lack of improvement during my observations? There is no doubt that eventually you would end up getting sacked."

"S-S-Sixteen years," cried Trelawney. "S-Sixteen years I've l-lived and t-t-taught here…Hogwarts is my _home!_ You c-can't do this!"

Harry moved over to the left a bit and was revolted to see Umbridge standing there, looking as though watching Trelawney break apart was giving her great joy, a wide smile stretched over her face and looking at ease with herself, as if this was the most pleasant news she's had all day.

"It _was_ your home. And actually, I can," Umbridge stated holding up some official looking papers that were sure to have quite a few signatures on it regarding Trelawney's dismissal. This only resulted in Trelawney crying even more, falling down to sit on one of her trunks, her entire body shaking from the force of her sobs. Umbridge continued to watch happily while Harry felt that familiar wave of fury wash over him. He wasn't a big fan of Trelawney at all, in fact she was downright annoying and dramatic, but right now all he felt was sympathy towards her. From somewhere in the crowd, Professor McGonagall came forward, hurrying over towards Trelawney and bending down beside her. Harry knew McGonagall didn't like Trelawney much either, but she showed nothing but kindness as she patting the woman's shoulders comfortingly and offered a handkerchief from her pocket.

"There now Sybill, calm down," McGonagall said. "Blow your nose on this. It's not as bad as you think, now…you're not going to have to leave Hogwarts."

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" Umbridge said. "And what authority do you have with that statement?"

"That would be my authority."

Every single head in the Entrance Hall turned to see that the front doors had swung open and Albus Dumbledore was striding inside, making his way through the crowd of onlookers to where Trelawney sat on her trunk with McGonagall comforting her. Umbridge seemed startled at his sudden appearance, as with everyone else, but she quickly composed herself, stating that it was in her right as High Inquisitor that she had the power to dismiss any teacher she found unworthy or incapable of continuing their duties at Hogwarts. Dumbledore only smiled at this, giving Umbridge a courteous bow.

"Of course, you are right," he said pleasantly. "You do have the right to dismiss my teachers. However, I'm afraid, that when it comes to banishing them from the grounds, that is where your authority ends. The power to do that still remains with the headmaster, and while Sybill may be out of the job, I do not wish for her to leave Hogwarts."

"No—no, I'll go Dumbledore," Trelawney hiccupped. "I s-shall leave and find my f-fortune elsewhere…"

"No," Dumbledore said sharply. "It is my wish for you to remain, Sybill. Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybill back upstairs?"

"Of course," McGonagall answered. "Come on now Sybill, up you get."

With the help of Professor McGonagall, Trelawney managed to stand to her feet and then the two of them started walking back up the marble staircase together, with Trelawney still hiccupping and grasping Dumbledore's hand gratefully as they passed him. Umbridge was staring furiously at Dumbledore and asked what he was to do with Trelawney wonce she appointed a new Divination teacher who needed her room. To Harry and Umbrudge's shock, Dumbledore informed her that he had already found a replacement for Trelawney, and that he would prefer to have his classroom on the ground floor, so there would be no need for Trelawney to give up her room. Umbridge tried to argue, but Dumbledore reminded her that she could only appoint new teacher if the headmaster could not find one himself. It was there that Dumbledore gestured to the open front doors to introduce the new Divination teacher, and when everyone saw who walked through, there was a unified gasp and whisperings, for the one who came into the hall was someone who was half-man and half-horse, with a gray tail, light blonde hair that fell to his shoulders, and bright blue eyes that gazed around calmly and politely at everyone he passed. Umbridge looked as though she were about to faint, clutching at her heart and staring bug-eyed at the creature who just trotted in. Harry's mouth fell open in shock, for he knew exactly who this was, although he hadn't seen him in four years.

"This is Firenze," Dumbledore said happily. "I think you will find him suitable."

"A-A Centaur?!" Umbridge exclaimed. "What makes you think that a Centaur will be suitable for a teaching position?!"

"Centaurs have been using the skies to perceive events of the past, furutre, as well as the present all throughout history," Dumbledore explained. "I dare say they are in tune with this particular branch of magic more than others, and Firenze has gratefully accepted the offer to share his teachings with the students. Now, if that will be all, I must show Firenze his new lodgings, and I suggest you all get back to studying."

Without another words, the crowd immediately began to dispers, although people were still gazing at Firenze an awe-filled curiosity as they went, hardly able to take their eyes off of him. Dumbledore started walking down a corridor to the right while Firenze began following him, and Harry watched the two of them go, still amazed at what had just happened. Despite his resentment of Dumbledore ignoring him and keeping him in the dark during the year, he couldn't help but feel a rush of admiration for his headmaster, and the wonders he seemed to create without even trying. Even though Trelawney got sacked, he made sure that she still had a home at Hogwarts and managed to give a magical creature a job at the school, just like he had done for Lupin back in third year. He wasn't sure what kind of teacher Firenze would be, but he knew that Divination was definitely going to be interesting from now on, at least more interesting now that his death wouldn't be predicted every lesson…hopefully.

"Harry!"

Harry looked over to see Mia making her way towards him from the crowds, gazing after Firenze as well.

"I can't believe it," she said when she reached him. "A Centaur, teaching a class? I thought they never wanted to bother in the affairs of humans, they usually stick to their herds."

"Well, Firenze has always been more lenient with humans," Harry said.

"Wait, do you know him?" Mia asked in surprise.

"When Hermione and I had that detention in first year and I ran into Quirrell, Firenze is the Centaur who saved me," Harry told her. "Although this is the first time I've seen him since."

"Wow," Mia said. "I sort of wish I had taken on Divination now, but I do feel so bad for Trelawney."

"At least she'll get to stay," Harry pointed out before wrapping an arm around her waist. "Come on, let's have some dinner before Snape tracks me down and drags me back to the dungeons."

"Fortunately he already has, Potter."

Harry resisted the urge to groan as he turned to see Snape standing right behind him and Mia, sneering down at them.

"Forgive me for interrupting your romantic dinner plans but we still have work to do," Snape said. "Move along, Thatcher."

Harry glared at him while Mia frowned, but still dropped his hand from her waist. She leaned in and gave him a soft peck on the cheek, telling him she would see him later, and then headed back into the Great Hall with everyone else. Harry stared after her gloomily, wanting to go with his girlfriend more than anything, and he heard Snape make a noise in the back of his throat as he turned to lead Harry away, muttering, "I may vomit."

MiaPOV

Some time had passed ever since Trelawney had been sacked and Firenze had taken her place as the new Divination teacher, as the wet days of March had transformed into the warmer, sunny days of April, and the Easter holidays were slowly approaching. However, it wasn't very much of a holiday as everyone in their year had their head buried in their endless amount of schoolwork, preparing themselves the terrible exams that were creeping up on them faster than anyone would like to admit. Most evenings were spent reading and writing in the library as well as the common room. Mia's days now consisted of going to class, eating, studying for hours on end, getting little sleep, and starting all over again the next day. It was certainly becoming a trying time for the fifth years, and they were really starting to crack down from the pressure. Madame Pomfrey already had to administer five Calming Draughts this week, and more were sure to be on the way. It wasn't all stressful though—she enjoyed it most when she, Harry, Ron and Hermione would study out by the lake under the willow tree, helping each other out and working together. Hermione would sit with stacks of books beside her, her eyes drinking in every word on the page. Ron would lay out on his stomach with many pieces of parchment littered about, continuously scratching out sentences and writing new ones, stopping every once in a while to nibble on a jelly slug. Mia would usually sit in between Harry legs while he sat against the trunk of the tree, reading from a book propped up against his knee while she would practice simple charms with her wand.

With all the school work, Occulmency lessons, D.A meetings, and pink toads aside, Mia had never been happier. The beginning of April marked her and Harry's three month anniversary, and she couldn't believe how fast time was flying by. In a way she wanted to kick herself for ever believing that her and Harry being together wouldn't work, or be too awkward, because right now their relationship was anything but. It was better than what she could have imagined. They spent their regular classes together, and even when they went to their extracurricular ones, she spent a good portion of hers thinking about him and wishing time would hurry up so she could see him again. She looked forward to studying late at night in the common room with him, walking around the castle holding hands, and stealing kisses whenever they wanted. Being with Harry felt so natural, and she hoped that this feeling would never end.

"How's Divination going?" she asked him one day while they were walking through one of the courtyards during their free period.

"It's odd," Harry replied. "The entire class is set up like we're in the forest, with moss on the ground and everything. Firenze doesn't really teach what he knows, but rather keeps saying that not everything is set in stone, or how the path to the inevitable outcome can go more than one way. Parvati and Lavender certainly seem to miss Trelawney though."

"Either way, I'd still like to have lessons with a Centaur," Mia admitted. "Dumbledore was right when he said they were gifted with that branch of magic."

"I suppose," Harry said. "How did your project in Ancient Runes go?"

"Well, I think you'll be happy to know that the runes on my tablet are instructions for a healing technique used by witches in Ireland around the seventeenth century," Mia answered. "So I won't be experimenting with any dangerous potions this time."

"That'll be a relief," Harry said with a grin. "I'd hate to be on the bad end of one of your concoctions."

"Come on, I'm not that bad."

"I think Hermione and the other girls in our year say differently," Harry countered.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Mia huffed before adding quietly. "So what have you got planned for the D.A meeting tonight?"

"You know it's a surprise," Harry replied.

"Is it the Patronus Charm?" Mia whispered excitedly. "You know everyone's been dying to learn that one."

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Nope."

"What if I threatened not to kiss you until you tell me?"

Harry raised his eyebrows at her but she stood her ground, staring at him defiantly. Then, he suddenly smirked mischievously before he yanked her under the archway of a secluded corner in the outdoor corridor, pulled her tight against him and kissed her full on the lips. One of his hands latched onto her hip while the other one cupped her face as he suddenly grew bold and deepened it, making Mia hum in content. She responded to the kiss just as eagerly, wrapping her hands around his neck, feel I g as though they were in their own little world, where no one could touch them. When they finally parted, she found herself pressed up against his chest and Harry placed his forehead against hers, still smirking.

"Are you sure you want to stop kissing me?" he asked cheekily.

"You cheat," Mia breathed out, without any real annoyance in her tone because she knew she would never be able to follow through on her threat. Harry only chuckled at her before kissing her again, more gently this time.

"By the way, we have to figure out what we're going to do for your birthday next month," he said.

"Harry we're going to be too busy to sleep by the time my birthday rolls around," Mia said, drawing her hands back to rest the against his chest. "I don't want to make a big deal of it."

"We should do something though," Harry insisted. "You are turning sixteen after all. What would you like to do?"

"How about we have some cake and ice cream with Ron and Hermione in the Room of Requirement?" Mia suggested. "Just the four of us, where we can't be bothered. I would really like that."

"As you wish," Harry complied, giving her a peck on the nose. "Come on, we're due for Charms soon."

A few hours later, everyone was gathered in the Room of Requirement, ready for the surprise lesson Harry had in store for them, as it would most likely be the last one before the Easter holidays. Once they all settled down, Harry smiled at them all as he announced that today they would be trying something rather advanced and Mia had to bite back her beaming grin as he confirmed that they were indeed going to be starting the Patronus Charm. Everyone immediately started whispering excitedly to one another, all of them eager to get started. They all spread out around the room while Harry stood at the front.

"Everyone take a moment to close your eyes," he instructed. "And think of a memory. Not just any memory, but a very happy and powerful memory. One that will fill you up with happiness and light, because that will be the key to producing a full corporal patronus. When I first started learning I tried using the memory of when I rode a broomstick for the first time, but it wasn't powerful enough. Take a moment to find one that has the most meaning to you, and then focus on projecting that memory through your patronus."

After they all had a quiet moment to themselves, soon enough the room was filled with everyone reciting the incantation. In the beginning, no one could do more than a sliver of silver vapor, but the more they tried, the more people seemed to get it. Harry reminded them all that this was a very advanced spell, and that not everyone could do it in the first lesson. He walked around, helping out as much as he could as they all kept trying. Mia was on her fourth try at conjuring her patronus, and she managed to create a silvery white barrier from the tip of her wand, but not much else. Frowning a little, she glanced around the room to see that while there were those like her who couldn't create more than a feeble barrier, there were others who had successfully conjured theirs. Ginny beamed happily as a wild stallion came shooting out of her wand, much to the delight of her friends, and Ron yelped as his Jack Russell Terrier ran in between his legs and caused him to fall to the ground. Luna 's Hare leaped happily throughout the room while Cho's sawn flew gracefully around her head, and Hermione's Otter twirled by her feet. Taking a breath, Mia tried to think of a better memory, one that truly meant something to her, and filled her with such profound happiness that it could fend off a hundred dementors like Harry's did. She searched her thoughts until she came across one from so long ago, back when she and Harry were children…

 _ **Mia and Harry were sitting on the curb not too far away from where the circus was set up in Surry, facing each other. Harry had just saved Mia from a runaway cart, and while she was still slightly shaken up by it, she was okay thanks to him. Therefore, she wanted to thank him properly.**_

" _ **Here Harry," she said, placing her hand on his chest and having him do the same to her. "We need to make a pact."**_

" _ **A pact?" the little dark haired boy repeated.**_

" _ **Yes, a pact that we will always be best friends, no matter what," Mia explained. "Forever."**_

" _ **Really?" Harry asked, a smile coming across his face. "You want to be friends forever?"**_

" _ **Of course, silly," Mia replied. "I care about you Harry, and this is how we'll know we'll always be there for each other. Now, repeat after me: I, Harry Potter, will always be friends with Mia Thatcher."**_

" _ **I, Harry Potter will always be friends with Mia Thatcher," Harry said.**_

" _ **Through thick and thin, in good times and bad," Mia continued on.**_

" _ **Through thick and thin, in good yes and bad."**_

" _ **No matter if we have to deal with bullies or monsters, we'll have each other's back."**_

" _ **No matter if we have to deal with bullies monsters, we'll have each other's back."**_

" _ **Now and always, forever and ever."**_

" _ **Now and always, forever and ever."**_

The memory flowed through Mia's mind as though it had happened only yesterday, and she felt a warmth in her chest that made her smile

" _Expecto Patronum,"_ she whispered.

Instead of a silvery whisp of cloud, something was taking shape at the end of her wand…something big. Her eyes widened as it continued to grow and a gasp escaped her lips as an animal started to tale form. Mia blinked in astonishment as she saw the head of a horse, thinking maybe she was going to have a stallion like Ginny. But, to her utter shock, she saw that this wasn't an ordinary horse. This horse had wings, just like the ones that pulled the Beauxbaton's carriage last year. It was then that Mia realized it was an Aethonan, prancing and soaring throughout the entire room, catching everyone's attention as it soared over their heads, beating its powerful wings and coming back to glide down next to Mia, turning its head towards her.

"Fantastic, Mia!" Harry praised with a huge grin. "You did it!"

"Mia's is the only one that's a magical creatures so far," Hermione said. "That's got to be really rare."

"It's brilliant," Neville chimed in.

"Good on you, Mia darling," Fred said.

"Thanks," Mia said, her cheeks a bit pink. "It feels like it takes a lot to keep it up though."

"That's why you need to practice more, since this is a spell that takes up a lot of energy," Harry explained. Just as he was about to say something else, there was a sudden loud pop and then Mia's mouth opened as she saw Dobby the House Elf appear in the room. Harry seemed surprised as well, and he started to greet the elf until he saw the look on Dobby's face. The elf seemed positively terrified and anxious, as if he wasn't allowed to be there, and he was twisting the sleeves of his jumper, his green eyes wide and fearful. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Dobby, what is it?" Harry asked. "What's wrong?"

"Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said, his voice trembling. "Dobby has come…to warn you, sir…but he has been forbidden to tell…"

At that moment, Dobby headed straight for the nearest wall and began banging his head against it, much to the surprise of everyone there. Harry quickly rushed forward and dragged the elf back, keeping his arms apart so that the tiny creature wouldn't resort to hitting himself. Mia instantly felt sympathy for Dobby. He may not have any masters anymore, but he was still getting used to not hurting himself whenever he didn't follow orders.

"Warn us about what, Dobby?" Harry said urgently.

"Harry Potter," Dobby said fearfully. "She…she…"

Mia felt dread hit her with such force that she was stunned she didn't faint from it. There was only one "she" in the whole castle that would instill such fear in Dobby's eyes.

"Dobby," Mia said to him, trying her best not to panic. "Is Umbridge coming here? Does she know about the D.A?"

The little elf took one look at her before bursting into tears.

"Yes, Miss Mimi, _yes!_ "

There was a horrible, petrifying silence for a grand total of five seconds before Harry got to his feet and looked around at them all, his face white and his eyes bulging.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" he bellowed at their terrified faces. "RUN!"

 **Please review, let me know what you all think.**


	19. Problems Arise and Hope Remains

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine!**

Chapter Nineteen: Problems Arise and Hope Remains

HarryPOV

What happened next could only be described as pure chaos. Within the next second, all of the patronuses vanished from sight and everyone started making a beeline for the door, crowding around it in their attempt to flee out into the corridor. While they were all scurrying around, Harry scooped Dobby up before the house elf could try to hurt himself even more and started moving with him towards the back of the crowd. Harry ordered him to go straight back to the kitchens with the other elves and to lie if Umbridge asked if he had warned them, as well as forbidding him to hurt himself. Harry managed to make it over the threshold and slam the door shut behind him. He set the little elf don on the ground and told him to get going as everyone else was running either left or right, hurrying to clear out before they all got caught. Dobby thanked him before streaking off and Harry looked up to see Mia suddenly next to him. Without a word, she grabbed his hand and then the two of them were running down the corridor.

"There's a boy's bathroom just up ahead," she said. "You can go in there, and I'll hurry to the library—"

At that moment, Harry felt something catch him around the ankles, causing him to let go of Mia's hand as he fell to the ground with a shout, skidding across the floor until he landed on his face.

"Harry!" Mia exclaimed, stopping short to look back at him. Just then, a bright blue light came flying down the hall and hit Mia in the stomach, making her fall backwards with a startled yelp and roll a few times until she hit her head on the feet of a nearby suit of armor.

"Mia!" Harry hollered, scrambling back to his feet to go over to her.

"Don't move, Potter!"

Harry stopped in his tracks and turned around to see Malfoy stepping out from where he was hiding in a niche beneath an ugly dragon-shaped vase. The blonde boy had a delighted, arrogant smirk on his face, his eyes practically sparkling with joy.

"You're not going anywhere, Potter," Malfoy said. "Professor! PROFESSOR! I've got them!"

Within the next few seconds, Umbridge came hurrying around the corner, looking slightly out of breath, but more happy than Harry had ever seen her. Her eyes were shining in what could only be glorious triumph, her smile stretching across her face and her entire aura radiating excitement.

"It's him!" she said enthusiastically as she caught sight of Harry standing there. "And Thatcher as well, I should have known! Excellent, Draco, excellent, very good—fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take them from here! Get on your feet, Thatcher!"

Harry glowered at Umbridge fiercely as she kept her wand on him, rendering him unable to do anything. Umbridge continued smiling as Mia slowly stood up, keeping an apprehensive eye on her. As she came closer, Harry thought she was going to curse him or bind him, but his heart gave a terrible jolt as she strode right past him and latched her hand onto Mia's arm in a vice-like grip.

"No!" he said, moving towards them with narrowed eyes. "Get your hands off of her!"

"I wouldn't take another step if I were you, Mr. Potter," Umbridge snapped sharply, visibly tightening her hold on Mia's arm. Harry immediately stopped, glaring angrily at Umbridge and breathing heavily through his nostrils, his hand balled up at his sides.

 _If you even think about hurting her, so help me, I'll…_

"You hop along now and see if you can round up any more of them, Draco," Umbridge said, smiling sweetly at Malfoy. Tell the others to look in the library—anyone out of breath—check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson can do the girls' ones. And as for you two, you're both coming with me to the headmaster's office. You go on ahead, Potter, and don't even think of trying anything funny."

Harry wanted nothing more than to curse her at that moment, but he knew that right now he and Mia were both caught, and they had no choice but to obey. Glancing over at Mia's anxious face, Harry turned and then started leading them through the corridors and up to Dumbledore's office. Umbridge still had a hold of Mia's arm as they moved, and it was quiet during the whole way there, the only sound coming from the echo of their feet against the floor. It was no time at all before they reached the stone gargoyle which guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Once Umbridge gave it the password, the gargoyle jumped to the side to reveal the secret spiral staircase, and the three of them trudged up the steps, with Harry feeling an impending sense of doom looming over him. They had finally been figured out. Umbridge discovered the D.A, and now they were all surely going to be expelled. Harry sadly thought of everyone he had dragged into this mess, feeling as though he let them down. Ron's mother would more than likely murder him when she found out, and he was sure Ginny and the twins would never see the light of day again. Hermione would be devastated if she were expelled before having the chance to complete her O.W.L exams, and Mia…he could never look her in the eyes again if she was forced to leave Hogwarts because of him. When they reached the polished door with the griffin knocker, Umbridge didn't even bother knocking, forcefully pushing Harry through and following him in with Mia at her side.

Harry was surprised to see that the office was actually full of people. Dumbledore, of course, was sitting at his desk, the tips of his fingers together while he looked around with the outmost calm expression, probably the most relaxed out of everyone here besides Cornelius Fudge, who was rocking back and forth on his heels in front of the fireplace, his hands behind his back and an eager smile on his face, as if he were very happy to be here to take part in what was occurring. Professor McGonagall was standing next to Dumbledore, her expression tense and her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes sharp. Standing on either side of the door were Kingsley Shacklebolt and another wizard Harry didn't recognize but assumed had to be another Auror. Last but not least, Percy Weasley was standing by the far left wall, taking in everything with excited eyes as he held a quill and parchment in his hands, appearing to stand by to take notes. When Harry and Mia entered with Umbridge, the portrait of the former headmaster and headmistresses of Hogwarts started whispering to each other in hushed tones, and Fudge glared down at him with a sort of vicious satisfaction.

"Well, well, well," he said. "What do we have here?"

"They were heading back to Gryffindor Tower," Umbridge said. "The Malfoy boy cornered them."

"Did he, now?" Fudge asked. "I must remember to tell Lucius. Well Potter, I expect you know why you are here?"

Harry gave Fudge the dirtiest look he could conjour up, and he was prepared to let out a cold, defiant "yes," but something stopped him as the word was on its way out of his mouth. Maybe he was imagining it, but while he glanced over at Dumbledore, while the headmaster wasn't looking directly at him, Harry saw him move his head ever so slightly to the left and then the right, silently trying to tell him not to admit to anything. Despite being confused by this, Harry quickly made sure to change his answer.

"Yeh—no," he replied, letting out a quiet breath to calm himself and make himself look more convincing.

"I beg your pardon?" said Fudge.

"No," Harry repeated firmly.

"You don't know why you have been brought here?" Fudge asked.

"No, I don't," Harry answered.

"Surely _you_ must know, girl?" Fudge demanded of Mia. Harry glanced over at her and felt a sense of pride as she put on the perfect face of confusion and shook her head, yanking her arm out of Umbridge's hand.

"I'm afraid not," she said. "Although, if someone here knows why, I'd love to hear it."

"So you have no idea why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You two are not aware that you have broken any school rules?"

"School rules?" Harry said. "No."

"Or Ministry decrees?" Fudge added on, anger starting to filter into his tone.

"Can't say we are," Mia replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"So it's news to you, is it, that an illegal student organization has been discovered within this school?" Fudge said, his face turning red as he glared at the both of them.

"Yes, it is," Harry answered.

"Really?" Mia said, her eyebrows raising. "We didn't know anything about that."

"I think, Minister, we might make better progress if I fetch our informant," Umbridge suggested. Fudge heartily agreed and in the next moment Umbridge left the office. It felt like everyone was waiting for eternity for Umbridge to return, and Harry took another quick glance at Mia, who was staring determinedly at one of the books on Dumbledore's desk, her face passive, but he could see the worry in her eyes. Like him, she was sure to be wondering how they were going to get out of this. Near her hairline, Harry could see a red mark from where she hit her head against the suit of armor, and he could feel the anger swell up inside of him again. Malfoy is definitely going to pay for that. After a little while Umbridge returned to the office with a curly-haired girl next to her, who Harry remembered as Marietta Edgecomb, Cho's friend from Ravenclaw. Marietta was whimpering softly, covering her face with her hands, and Umbridge was soothing her, telling her she had done the right thing by tipping her off, and that the Minister was very pleased with her, and he would be telling her mother how good she has been. Umbridge explained that Marietta's mother worked at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Transportation, watching over the Hogwarts Floo Network.

"Jolly good, jolly good," Fudge beamed, smiling at Marietta. "Like mother, like daughter, eh? Well, come on now, dear, look up, don't be shy, let's hear what you've got to—galloping gargoyles!"

When Marietta looked up, Harry was shocked to see that her face had been badly disfigured. There were close-knit purple pustules and boils that had spread across her nose and cheeks, forming the word "SNEAK." Marietta gave a wail and pulled the neck of her robes up to her eyes, which were beginning to water, and Harry looked back at Mia, who met his gaze for a brief second before looking away, but not before he saw her glare at Marietta from the corner of her eye. He suddenly remembered that Mia had placed a jinx on the parchment where they all signed their names when they first created the D.A, and they had just seen the aftermath of it. Marietta was obviously horrified at what she looked like and refused to talk, keeping her face underneath her robes, so Umbridge went on to explain that Marietta had approached her earlier that evening and told her how to find the Room of requirement, and that there was something there that she would want to see. When Umbridge pressed for more answers out of her, Marietta was only able to tell her that there was a meeting taking place there before the hex went into effect. Fudge tried asking Marietta more questions, such as what the meeting was about, and who was there, but she still didn't speak.

However, she didn't really need to, because Umbridge seemed fit to explain the matter herself from the very beginning, starting with the very first meeting at the Hog's Head, where an informant of Umbridge's listened in and told Umbridge all about it in return for not getting prosecuted for setting up a bunch of regurgitating toilets. Most of the former headmasters were infuriated by this, but Umbridge paid no heed to them as she continued to speak of how the meeting was about students gathering to join an illegal society to learn curses and spells the Ministry had banned from their studies, but Dumbledore had cut in at that point, reminding Umbridge that at the time, the meeting was not illegal, as the decree banning student organizations didn't come into effect until the next day. Therefore, the meeting in the Hog's Head was not breaking any laws in any way. Both Fudge and Umbridge seemed a bit stumped at this information at first, but then Umbridge recovered enough to remind him that it was now nearly six months later, and that any meetings afterwards would certainly be illegal.

"Well," Dumbledore said, smiling at her gently and politely. "They certainly _would_ be, if they _had_ after the decree came into effect. Do you have any evidence that these meetings continued?"

At that moment, Harry felt something rustle from behind him, like the blowing of a soft breeze, and he could have sworn he heard Kingsley mumble something.

"Evidence?" Umbridge repeated. "Why do you think Miss Edgecomb is here, Headmaster?"

"Oh, she can tell us about six months' worth of meetings?" Dumbledore asked. "I was under the impression she is here only to report of a meeting taking place tonight."

Umbridge rounded on Marietta instantly, asking her whether or not the meetings have been occurring regularly over the past six months, telling her just to nod or shake her head no. To Harry's astonishment and utter shock, Marietta shook her head, her eyes oddly blank and somewhat emotionless. He stared at her in confusion for a moment before it hit him, and he suddenly had an idea of what Kingsley just did. Her response instantly made Umbridge angry, and when she pressed for answers, Marietta just kept shaking her head, saying that there were no secret meetings for the past six months. At this point Umbridge was beside herself with fury, her face turning purple and her lips pulled into an angry snarl.

"But there was a meeting tonight!" she said. "There was a meeting, Miss Edgecomb, you told me about it, in the Room of Requirement! And Potter was the leader, was he not? Potter organized it, Potter— _why are you shaking your head, girl?!_ "

"Well, when a person usually shakes their head, they mean 'no,'" McGonagall snapped coldly. "So unless Miss Edgecomb is using a new form of sign language—"

Umbridge chose at that moment to grab a hold of Marietta's shoulder and shake her roughly in her frustration. Before anyone could even blink, Dumbledore was on his feet with his wand raised and an angry look on his face, his twinkling blue eyes set ablaze. Umbridge let go of Marietta's shoulders rather quickly, waving them around as if they had been burned.

"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Delores," Dumbledore warned.

"We don't have time for this!" Fudge barked impatiently. "Delores, what about the meeting that happened tonight?"

"Yes…yes, of course," Umbridge said after taking a couple breathes, composing herself once again. She went on to explain how she and a certain group of students, mainly Malfoy and his friends, had gone up to the seventh floor after Marietta's tip in hopes of catching them all, but they had to have been forewarned, since everyone was scattering to the wind by the time they arrived. Even though they managed to catch Mia and Harry, they were able to get their hands on the list of names pinned to the wall, and Harry watched in horror as Umbridge pulled the list from her pocket, handing it over to Fudge. Oh man, they were really in for it now! Why didn't he think to grab the list before he left the Room of Requirement?! Fudge stared down at the list with a smug grin on his face, but it soon fell and his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. He moved his gaze to Dumbledore, his mouth agape and his eyes accusing as he gaped at the elder wizard.

"Look," he muttered, every syllable in his tone expressing great rage. "Look at what they've named themselves! _Dumbledore's Army!_ "

Dumbledore came forward to take the list out of Fudge's hand, and for a moment he simply stared down at it, seeming to be at a loss for words. After about a minute, he looked back up, still wearing that calm, serine smile on his face.

"I suppose the game is up, then," he said pleasantly. "Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius? Or will a statement in front of witnesses do the trick?"

"Statement?" Fudge said in surprise.

"Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "Not Potter's Army— _Dumbledore's Army._ "

"No," Harry heard Mia gasp to herself, her blue eyes going wide and shaking her head. Fudge seemed confused at first but then he stared at Dumbledore with wide, horrified eyes, taking a couple steps backwards.

"You?" he whispered. "You organized this? You recruited these students for your army?!"

"Naturally," said Dumbledore. "Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting, to see if anyone would be interested in joining me, although I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecomb of course."

"So you _have_ been plotting against me!" Fudge exclaimed.

"That's right," Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"NO!" Harry shouted, suddenly realizing what was happening. "Professor Dumbledore—"

"Be quiet, Harry, or I'm afraid you will have to leave my office," said Dumbledore.

"Yes, shut up Potter!" Fudge snapped, still staring at Dumbledore with a strange sort of terrified excitement. He seemed positively thrilled at the fact that instead of arriving to expel Harry, he would get the chance to arrest the great Albus Dumbledore. Harry couldn't believe this was happening. Dumbledore was taking the fall for this, and it was all his fault. After making sure that Percy had written down everything that had been said, including Dumbledore's confession, he ordered him to go and send a copy to the _Daily Prophet_ , hoping to make the morning edition. Once Percy was gone, Fudge turned back to Dumbledore, a more gleeful smile on his face, and he informed him that he would be taken to the Ministry to be formally charged before being sent to Azkaban to await trail. However, Dumbledore just continued smiling and stated that he had no intention of going to Azkaban, or coming along quietly. Fudge appeared to be amused by this, asking if Dumbledore was planning on taking on him, Umbridge, Kingsley, and the other man, named Dawlish, single-handedly. Dumbledore replied that he would have no choice if they forced him to.

"Enough of this!" Fudge barked. "Kingsley! Dawlish! Take him!"

What happened next went by so fast that Harry barely had time to register it at all. There was a bright silver light that flashed across the room, causing Fawkes, who had been perched calmly next to Dumbledore's desk the entire time, screech loudly and fly into the air, while a thick cat of dust swirled around them. Harry felt someone grab the back of his robes and yank him down forcefully to the ground while another flash of light lit up the room. There was the sound of something heavy falling to the ground, scuffling feet, loud groans, a sudden shout, and then complete silence. Harry stayed where he was on the ground for a moment before he looked up to see Dumbledore walking towards him, placing his wand in the pocket of his robes. He also looked over to see that it was Professor McGonagall who had forced him down to the ground, along with Mia and Marietta.

"Are you all right?" he asked them.

"Yes," McGonagall replied as they all stood up. Harry stared around to see that Fudge, Umbridge, Dawlish and Kingsley were all motionless on the ground.

"I had to hex Kingsley too, unfortunately, or it would have appeared suspicious," Dumbledore said sadly. "Good thinking, modifying Miss Edgecomb's memory while everyone else was looking away. Please thank him for me, Minerva. It will not take them long at all to wake up, and they mustn't know we've had time to communicate, it has to look as though I vanished straight away."

"Professor," Mia whispered, gazing at him with a sorrowful look. "We're so sorry."

"Don't be, Mia," Dumbledore said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This had to pass eventually."

"But where will you go?" Mia asked.

"That I cannot say, but it will not be forever, I promise," Dumbledore said. "Fudge will soon regret dislodging me from Hogwarts, that I'm sure of."

Dumbledore then turned to Harry and took hold of his wrist, staring at him urgently. The moment his hand enclosed it, Harry felt a terrible, familiar pain sear into his forehead. He felt the need once again to bite Dumbledore, to attack him, and hurt him, just as he had felt when Dumbledore had locked eyes with him on the night Mr. Weasley had been attacked.

"Listen to me, Harry," he said. "You must learn Occlumency, study as hard as you can, and clear you mind. Do everything Professor Snape tells you, practice before you sleep at night. You will understand soon enough, but you must promise me. Clear your mind."

Dumbledore released Harry's wrist and then reached out to Fawkes, who was flying low over everyone's heads, and grasped his golden feathered tail. There was another flash of light, and then both Fawkes and the headmaster disappeared from sight, leaving a thin wisp of smoke in their wake. Not even ten seconds later, everyone who was on the ground began to stir, and when Fudge came to his senses and realized Dumbledore was gone, he shouted in fury, demanding to know where he was. Dawlish, Kingsley, and Umbridge all hurried over to the door, thinking he may have fled down the stairs, while Fudge glared at McGonagall.

"Well, Minerva, I'm afraid this is the end for your precious Dumbledore."

"You think so, do you?" McGonagall said coldly.

"Get these three to bed," Fudge snapped. McGonagall was silent, but she marched Harry, Mia and Marietta out of the office all the same. As they left, Harry heard one of the portraits speaking.

"You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many things…but you cannot deny he's got style."

…

By the following morning, everyone at Hogwarts had heard about what had happened in Dumbledore's office the previous night. While there were ridiculous stories going around—such as the fact that Fudge was in the hospital with a pumpkin head—others were much closer to the truth. Either way, it was clear that Dumbledore managed to get past two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Minister of Magic, and his assistant all single-handedly. Since Marietta was in the hospital wing at the moment, Harry was the only other person to have seen what actually happened, so it was no surprise that people kept coming up to him, asking him to retell the story.

Although, despite the fact that Dumbledore made a marvelous escape from the clutches of the Ministry, they had yet another discouraging problem on their hands. With their headmaster gone, someone obviously needed to replace him, and while Professor McGonagall seemed the most logical choice—as she was deputy headmistress—the Minister seemed fit to appoint some else, someone he deemed worthy of the position. Therefore, by the time breakfast rolled around, there was yet another decree stating that as of that day, Delores Umbridge was the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. The sight of the decree made Harry's inside churn with anger and guilt, knowing that it was his fault that Dumbledore was forced to flee, and now the pink toad had reign over the school. Not only that, but Umbridge also appointed a new Inquisitorial Squad she had made up of students, mostly Malfoy and his friends, to carry out the rules of the Ministry and gave them the power to give and take away house points. Everyone was infuriated by this, as the Inquisitorial Squad wasted no time in docking points from all other houses except for Slytherin.

Yet the most bizarre thing to happen so far was that as Harry and the others were making their way down to the Great Hall for lunch the following day, Harry had been cornered by Filch, who was sneering at him and said that Umbridge wanted to see him in her office. Glancing back at the others, his gave them a reassuring look before following Filch up the staircase and through the corridors towards Umbridge's office. Harry couldn't help but smirk a little—Ernie Macmillan had told him that the Fat Friar saw Umbridge try to get back into Dumbledore's office, but the stone gargoyle wouldn't budge, effectively locking her out and refusing her entrance. Knowing that she wouldn't have the satisfaction of sitting in Dumbledore's chair at his desk made Harry feel a little better, but not too much. Filch was delighted at the current events taking place, going off about how things were definitely changing for the better, and that he would soon have the power to give out much more harsher punishments. By the time they finally reached the office, he was practically skipping, with a huge smile on his face as he presented Harry to Umbridge like an offering for a ritual. When he was gone, Umbridge smiled sweetly at Harry, with the kittens on her decorative plates staring down at him, and his precious Firebolt chained to the wall behind her desk along with Fred and George's brooms.

"Well now, Mr. Potter," she said as Harry took a seat across from her. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"What?" Harry said, startled.

"To drink, Mr. Potter," Umbridge repeated. "Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?"

"Nothing, thank you," Harry said.

"Oh, but I do insist," Umbridge urged, her smile becoming more deadly. "Which will it be?"

Harry finally decided on tea, and Umbridge went straight to work fixing it up for him, humming cheerfully to herself. When the tea was done, she set it down before him and he took the cup and saucer into his hands. She told him to drink up while they had a little chat, after what had happened the previous night. While she spoke, Harry began raising the cup to his lips, but then he hesitated for a moment. One of the kittens looking down at him had big, bright blue eyes that reminded him of Moody's and he suddenly remembered when his imposter, Barty Crouch Jr., had attempted to offer Mia something to drink after he had poisoned her during the Triwizard Tournament. Harry suddenly pictured what Moody would say if he ever found out that Harry accepted a drink from an enemy like a fool. With a frown set in place, Harry brought the tea to his mouth but kept his lips pressed tightly together.

"Very good," Umbridge said, still smiling. "Now tell me, Mr. Potter…where is Albus Dumbledore?"

MiaPOV

"She better not be doing anything to him," Mia muttered as she stabbed at the chicken on her plate. "I'll make it rain hail in her office for a week."

"Please do, it would give us all a laugh," Ron said.

"Do you guys think that Fred and George were serious?" Hermione asked anxiously. "About not caring if they get expelled?"

"I think so," Ron replied with a nod. "They were right, they always knew when to draw the line, but now that Dumbledore's gone, there's no Quidditch, and they already know what they want to do, they really don't see a point in them staying. I have a feeling they're going to give Umbridge hell."

"Remind me to help them out in any way I can," Mia put in.

"We might just take you up on that, Mia darling."

Mia turned in her seat to see Fred and George standing behind her, both of them grinning.

"We do have some trick up our sleeves for Umbridge, and if we do need help, we will most definitely call upon your wonderful talents, dear lady," George said with an appreciative bow of the head.

"What are you guys doing?" Ginny asked from across the table. "I thought you were about to go start phase one?"

"Oh we are, little sister, we are," Fred told her with a devilish glint in his eyes. "We are heading up right now, and with any luck it will help Harry out too."

"What do you mean?" said Mia.

"What we mean is, we're about to embark on a mission to save your boyfriend," Fred replied with a wink. "So don't worry, he will be back by your side before lunch is over, we're sure. Wish us luck."

Mia watched as the twins left the hall, both of them moving with confident strides. A small part of her was nervous about what they were planning, but she was also very excited as well. While she and the others continued on with lunch, she found herself glancing over at the door every few minutes or so, as if she was expecting something huge to come bursting in. Low and behold, about twenty minutes later, she found that she was absolutely right. There was a very loud booming noise that made the plates and goblets on the table rattle and nearly fall over, and the sound echoed around the room. People were looking up anxiously to see what the source of the noise was, and Mia could hear some people outside of the hall screaming. Then, before she could blink, a fizzing, green and gold dragon-shaped firework the size of a house came barging into the hall, letting out a mighty roar and flying over everyone's heads, red and orange sparks flying from its mouth. Many students shouted in fright, jumping from their seats, and Mia's mouth dropped open as even more fireworks came in, taking on many different forms in vibrant colors. The teachers seemed surprised yet impressed, and no one made a move to make the fireworks disappear. As all of this was going on, Mia looked around to see that Fred and George were making their way back into the hall, with Harry walking beside them. Her smile grew and she chuckled as George patted Harry's shoulder.

"See? We brought him back to you, safe and sound," he said.

"Thanks guys," Mia laughed as Harry sat down next to her.

"These are your fireworks?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"Nice, huh?" Fred said. "We call them Weasleys Wildfire Whiz-bangs. We used up everything we had, but it was worth it trying to see Umbridge make them go away."

"That'll never happen, though," George added on. "The more you try to vanish them, the bigger they grow and the more they multiply. It'll take hours for them to go away."

"You two are pure geniuses," Mia stated. "Put me down for a box of them."

"Excellent!" Fred said, running his hand together. "And for you, Mia dear, you get the Weasley discount."

Mia beamed at them before turning to Harry.

"I don't know about you, but I see this as a pretty exciting second date."

"What did Umbridge want, Harry?" Ron asked.

"She invited me into her office for a cup of tea," Harry replied.

"She what?" Mia said. "Are you sure it was Umbridge you saw?"

"Yeah, and while I was drinking the tea she started asking me where Dumbledore was."

"She what?!"

"Why on earth would she ask you that?" Ron wondered.

"That seems a bit random while you were drin—oh!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes narrowing. "That manipulative hag!"

"What?" said Ron.

"She slipped Veritisirum into your tea, didn't she?" Hermione demanded.

"Yes," Harry confirmed, nodding. "I'm sure of it, because right after I pretended to take a sip she start shooting questions at me about Dumbledore, and even Snuffles."

"Why that little…" Ron snarled.

"How did you know not to drink the tea?" Mia asked him.

"I thought of the earful I would get from Moody if he ever found out I accepted tea from an enemy," Harry replied. "And I remembered when you refused the water from Crouch's son last year."

"I guess you are a good influence after all, Mia," Ron muttered, managing a small smile.

"I figured you guys kept me around for a reason," Mia said, smiling back to the redhead before throwing a piece of bread at him.

For the rest of the day, the fireworks paraded all throughout the school, never once dying out and causing all kinds of disruption in their classes. The teachers, however, didn't seem to mind at all, and had a very indifferent attitude about it. Whenever one of the fireworks came into the room, the teacher would simply send for Umbridge to assist in getting rid of them, claiming they didn't have the authority to handle it themselves. Therefore Umbridge spent her entire first day as headmistress running throughout the castle trying, and usually failing, to make the fireworks disappear. This brought a smile to Mia's face whenever she thought about it, and that night in the Gryffindor common room, Fred and George were hailed as heroes. Even Hermione came forth to congratulate them on their wonderful use of magic. Everyone was happily cheering for them and talking amongst themselves while Mia sat over in a corner with her friends, reading a letter from her parents while leaning up against Harry's side, with his arm draped over her waist.

"Are you sure you don't want to try to keep at it with the D.A meetings?" Ron asked Harry quietly.

"It's too dangerous now, with Umbridge as the head of the school," Harry replied. "With the Slytherins and Filch breathing down our necks as well, it would be too difficult to get together."

"I bet Marietta Edgecomb is regretting ever opening her mouth," Hermione muttered scathingly. "I heard she's still in the hospital."

"That was brilliant by the way," Harry said to Mia, giving her a squeeze.

"It was Hermione's idea," Mia said. "All I did was hex the parchment."

"Still, it was good thinking, love, I think I speak for all of us when I say we're impressed," Harry insisted. Mia looked up from her letter and gazed at Harry, her mouth hanging open slightly in surprise at his what he had just said. Did he just…

"What is it?" he asked her.

"Love," she murmured. "You just called me love. You never called me that before…"

"I did?" Harry said, his eyes widening a bit. "Sorry, it kind of just slipped out, I wasn't thinking—"

"No, don't be sorry. I like it," Mia admitted, a shy kind of smile coming onto her face. "It sounds nice."

Harry smiled back at her and pulled her closer so she was snuggled up closer to him. Ron made a noise at this, but Hermione shut him right up by throwing a cushion at his face. Mia chuckled at him before settling her head against Harry's chest. "Love" really did sound so nice coming from Harry, as they had never given each other nicknames like that, or any sort of term of affection. Her father called her "love" as well, but she knew it was in a different form from when he used that to address her mother, just as she knew this one was different. She liked it, very much.

"Did you guys see the notice on the board about the meetings for Career Advice?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I'm meeting with McGonagall on Tuesday," Ron replied, scratching something out in his essay. "I'm still not exactly sure what to do."

"No one has to be exactly sure, you just need to have an idea of what you would like to do," Hermione told him. "I want to do something worthwhile, something that could help others, and certainly make up new laws that could help less fortunate creatures, like House Elves. More than likely McGonagall will recommend a position in the Department of Magical Creatures at the Ministry if I want to pursue it. Have you given your career any thought, Harry?"

"I think I'd like to become an Auror," Harry answered.

"I can see that," Mia said with a nod. "You're excellent at Defense."

"You also need top grades for that," Hermione added. "Including Potions."

"Well, with Mia's help I'm becoming much better at that," Harry said. "I actually got an 'Acceptable' on my last essay."

"I wonder what's been going on with him, lately," Mia said. "He's just been flat out ignoring you in class. Not that I'm complaining, but what did you do now?"

Before Harry could answer, their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Fred and George, who came over and took a seat on the sofa next to Harry and Mia, kicking their feet up on the table in front of them.

"Hello dearies," Fred greeted. "How are you all on this fine evening?"

"Finally got away from your adoring fans, huh?" Mia said.

"Alas, they just can't keep their hands off of us," George sighed. "Anyway, we've heard from our dear little sister that you are in a bit of a conundrum. So, you're trying to talk to Sirius?"

"What?" Hermione said sharply, looking up from her book.

"You are?" Mia said. "How come?"

"It doesn't matter why, he can't," Hermione cut in, looking at Harry sternly. "With Umbridge keeping a watch on all the fireplaces and ruffling up all the owls, you would never be able to speak with him anyway."

"Ahh, never say never, Hermione" Fred criticized, waving his finger at her. "Anything is possible if you have the guts for it."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"You know how we've been on the low with causing mayhem during the holidays? Well, George and I decided that it would have no effect at all making a ruckus during a time when no classes were going on. Also, we knew that fifth years such as yourself were taking this time to study, and we couldn't disrupt that."

"Therefore, we are going to start anew not long after the holidays are over," George continued. "Harry, we can give you a distraction that will make sure you have some time to talk to Sirius, I'd say, maybe twenty minutes."

"Even if you could, Harry still has no way to contact him," Hermione countered. "And he shouldn't do it anyway, because if Umbridge were to find out, Harry would be expelled or even thrown into Azkaban for communicating with him!"

"Umbridge's office," Harry whispered suddenly.

"What?"

"Umbridge's office! It's the only fireplace in the castle that isn't being watched," Harry explained.

"Then it's settled," George said, clapping his hands together eagerly. "We'll create the perfect distraction to draw her right out of her office, and you can talk to him."

"Are you insane?!" Hermione hissed angrily. "Ron, what do you think of this?"

"Um, well, if Harry wants to talk to him then it's up to him, right?" Ron mumbled.

"Spoken like a true friend and Weasley," Fred praised.

"Why do you need to talk to Sirius?" Mia whispered to Harry. She knew that harry wouldn't risk Sirius' freedom unless it was something very important, even though she knew Harry was missing his godfather very much.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered back. "It's…it's about my dad."

Mia's expression became curiously surprised at this, but she nodded. This seemed like a sensitive topic, if Harry's face was anything to go on, and she would wait until he was comfortable telling her about it. They all talked for a little while longer, just relaxing in the common room as the night wore on. While the twins were showing off some of their new products, Mia looked over to see the portrait hole open and a young boy enter, small enough to be a first year. If it were any other night, any other time, she would have passed her gaze over him, but something made her stop and stare. The boy was clutching his left hand close to his chest, and he looked on the verge of tears, his blonde bangs falling into his face as he hurried across the common room, obviously not wanting to be seen or noticed. His appearance seemed all too familiar, and Mia felt an uncomfortable knot forming in her stomach. She quickly excused herself and stood up from the sofa just as the boy went through the door leading to the boy's dormitories. Moving fast, she moved across the common room and made her way over to the door, opening it and following the boy up the stairs. She didn't have to go too far, for when she came to the first arch over the window ledge, she found the boy sitting on it, his head bent down, and his right hand gently cradling his left, tears falling down his face. Mia felt her heart go out to him and she slowly made her way up to him.

"Hey," she said as she approached him. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," he said, trying to hold his hand closer to him and hide it from her, sniffling.

"It doesn't look like it to me," Mia said softly as she came to a stop and at down next to him. "Looks like you hurt your hand pretty good. "Tell me if I'm wrong, but I have a feeling you just came back from detention, right?"

The little boy didn't answer her but let out another small whimper, the tears continuing to fall. Mia could feel her heart break at his cries, and she asked if she could see his hand. The boy seemed hesitant at first, but then he slowly extended his hand towards her. Taking his hand gently in hers, Mia pulled back his sleeve to see familiar bloody words cut into his pale skin: _I must not talk back._ Anger immediately flared up inside of her as she stared down at the words etched onto this poor kid's hand. He was only a first year, how could she do this to a first year?! Umbridge was evil in every sense of the word, and Mia never thought she would come across someone she truly hated, but this woman really took the cake. She wanted to curse her so badly, but she took a deep breath, bringing her focus back to the crying child in front of her.

"I have something that can help with this," she told the boy. "If you'll wait here, I'll go get it for you."

The boy nodded his head at her and then Mia was hurrying back down the stairs and out into the common room, going over towards the other door.

"Mia, what are you doing?" Hermione called.

"Can't talk now, be back soon," Mia answered as she disappeared behind the door and rushed up the staircase to the dorm she shared with the other fifth year girls. Once inside she rummaged around her bedside drawers until she found the balm she had made. There was just a little left from when she tended to Harry's cuts, it was sure to be enough for the boy. She walked back out the way she came and backtracked quickly.

"How about now?" Ron said when she passed by again.

"Nope," Mia said, once again going through the boy's door. She walked up the stairs where the boy was still waiting for her, and he eyes the vial in her hand warily.

"What's that?" he asked.

"This is a special balm I made for cuts like those," Mia told him, sitting down next to him and emptying some of the balm into her hand.

"You made it? Does it really work?"

"It worked for mine," she answered.

"You…you had detentions too?"

"Yes, a bunch of times," she said. "Now, this is going to sting a bit at first, but it will help make the words go away faster, and it won't hurt much at all."

"I don't know," the boy mumbled, looking very unsure. Mia smiled kindly at him.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Michael," he replied. Mia moved her left hand so the sleeve of her own robes fell away and she used her free hand to take her wand and remove the glamor charm. She watched as Michael's eyes widened at the sight of her scars. They were no longer bright red, as she hasn't received detention in some time, but it was still so vivid it made her want to cringe.

"You see, Michael, when I started my detentions, I had to write lines with that quill every single day for hours," she said. "By the time the third night came around, this was starting to become permanent for me. Ever since then, I did all I could to find some way to make the pain go away, and when other people I cared for start getting them, I made something to make sure that it wouldn't become permanent like mine. How long do you have these detentions for?"

"Just tonight," Michael said.

"My boyfriend had to have detentions for a week, and thanks to this, you can't see his anymore. With this balm, the pain goes away after a while, and I promise it won't be forever. What do you say?"

Michael finally looked convinced, and so he allowed Mia to spread the balm over his hand, and she apologized whenever he flinched or cried out in pain from the burn. He kept on crying, but the tears lessened the more the rubbed the balm on his skin. When she was done, she smiled at him.

"Just let this air out for a while until it dries, and it should be better by tomorrow," she instructed. "If you need more, just let me know."

"It is starting to feel better," Michael admitted, wiping at his eyes. "What's in it?"

"Tears of Mandrakes, and mermaid scales."

"What's a Mandrake?"

"Thankfully it's something you won't have to learn about until next year," Mia said with a light giggle. "The combination of the tears and the scales create a healing component that's stronger than most, so it can help with the more severe curses."

"And you made it?" Michael said in surprise. "You must be really smart."

"There are other plenty more smart than I am," Mia said. "I just like experimenting with potions."

"I really like potions, it's my favorite. But I don't like Professor Snape very much, though."

"Who does?" Mia asked, making Michael laugh a little. "Don't let the big bullies get you down, Michael. Just put on a brave face to let them know they don't scare you, and you'll be all right. Don't lose hope."

"Thank you," Michael said. "I should get going. Goodnight, um…"

"Mia."

"Mia. Um, if I…if I need help with any potions stuff, can I come ask you about it?"

"Of course," Mia replied. "Goodnight, Michael."

When Michael was up the stairs and out of sight, Mia sighed to herself and rubbed at her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired.

"You're absolutely wonderful, you know that, don't you?"

Mia jumped a little to see Harry standing there a few steps down, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, smiling softly at her, something similar to admiration shining in his eyes.

"I'm not wonderful," Mia stated as she stood up. "I just can't stand by when I can do something to help him. That foul, evil…I cannot believe she would do that to a first year, a child! She makes my blood boil, and I swear I wish I could…"

"Like I said," Harry said, walking over until he was right in front of her, placing his hands on her waist. "Wonderful."

"You need your glasses checked," Mia chuckled. "But I appreciate it."

"It's true, Mia. You are so very kind, you are willing to help anyone, whether it's with schoolwork or with their health. I don't know how I got so lucky."

"Thank my parents," Mia said with a smile. "If we had never moved from Kent, we never would have met in primary school. It's too weird to even think about."

"Tell me about it," Harry chuckled. "But you really should have seen it from where I was standing. That kid looked up to you, and you managed to help his cuts as well as give him a healing lesson all at once. You're pretty talented."

"I just wish I could somehow combine that into some sort of career, but I really have no idea what—"

Mia suddenly cut herself off and she had a flabbergasted look on her face. A huge revelation came over her, and it was as though most of the past year of wondering and being undecided vanished in an instant, and she suddenly knew what she wanted, what she had always wanted. It was perfect for her, and happiness as well as excitement swelled up within her, her mind going a million miles a minute.

"Mia?" said Harry. "I'm losing you, love, what's on your mind?"

"I think I know what I want to do," Mia answered, a bright smile on her face. "For my career, I mean."

"Really? What is it?"

"A way where I can help people, specifically kids, and combine my passion of learning and potion-making," Mia said. "I'm going to become a Potion's Master and come back to Hogwarts to teach one day. And in the meantime, I can be a potioneer for the Ministry or something on the side, that way I can keep creating better mixtures, especially for institutes like St. Mungo's, to create better healing solutions. I want to make a difference, and this is how I want to do it."

Harry stared at her for a moment after she finished talking, and then he smiled at her before leaning in to give her a tender kiss on the lips.

"You _will_ make a difference," Harry said. "And I can't think of anything that suits you better."

…

A couple days later, Mia was walking down the corridor, on her way to meet with Professor McGonagall and speak to her about her ideas for what she wants to do once she graduates from school. After figuring it out after so very long, Mia moved with a skip in her step, and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the thought. The more she pictured it, the more happy she became. She truly loved making potions, she had a true passion for it, and she found enjoyment in helping others with their work as well. She enjoyed the study groups she would take part in with her friends in Gryffindor as well as the other houses, and she had always loved learning. She could definitely see herself teaching her favorite subject to witches and wizards from all backgrounds, showing them all the amazing things they could do and accomplish with their own intelligence and creativity. Along with teaching, she could work on her own experiments on the side, creating new things that could help many others.

Mia kept on smiling as she made her way to McGonagall's office. While she was walking down the third floor corridor, she passed by one of the many broom cupboards, and she was suddenly brought out of her thoughts when she heard a noise coming from the inside, like something had fallen over. She paused for a moment wondering if there was something inside.

 _It's probably Peeves, causing trouble again._

That seemed to be the most logical explanation, as it wasn't unusual at all for the poltergeist to randomly push things over or drop things from the ceiling to make a ruckus and cause Filch to come running, screaming in rage. Although, just as she was about to keep walking, she heard the sound of hushed giggles coming from the other side of the door, and her curiosity was peeked. Not sure if she was doing the smart thing, Mia moved over towards the door and slowly took hold of the handle, giving it a sharp twist before she pulled the door open. What she saw inside made her mouth drop open all the way to the floor, and her eyes were bugging out of her head, and she was sure she was close to dropping her schoolbag. The broom cupboard was fairly roomy on the inside, and standing right in the middle of it, locked together in a passionate snogging session, was Jenna and Fred. Jenna was standing on her tip-toes, her arms wrapped around Fred's neck while the redhead in question had his arms around her in a tender, yet tight embrace. Mia stood there completely shell-shocked and frozen for a moment, not quite sure what was happening.

 _When did_ _ **this**_ _happen?!_ After a few more seconds, Mia came to her senses and tried to back out of there, but the creaking of the door made them aware of her presence. The second they saw her standing there, Fred and Jenna sprang apart from their embrace, the both of them very red in the face and looking like deer caught in headlights. There was a long, tense moment where they all looked at each other awkwardly before Fred cleared his throat. For the first time since Mia had meet him, Fred looked very sheepish and uncomfortable, as though he had been caught with his hand deep in the cookie tin.

"Um…how long were you standing there, Mia?" he asked lowly.

"Not too long," Mia replied, quietly. "Promise. Uh, just a few questions before I leave?"

"Okay," Jenna squeaked.

"How long?" Mia asked.

"Ever since late October," Fred admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"How?" Mia continued.

"Not sure," Jenna said with a timid smile. "I started talking with Fred about some of the ideas he had for his and George's joke shop, and I included some of my own, and it sort of took off from there."

"Why the secrecy?"

"Didn't really want it to make it a public thing so it would be everyone's business, especially with Umbridge breathing down everyone's necks. And with the stuff George and I have planned, I didn't want any of it to fall back on Jenna, I wasn't going to let her risk her schooling because of me. We were going to let more people know soon, though, once it became more…well, serious."

"Who else knows?"

"George, Lee, Lucy, and now you," Jenna answered.

"And I suppose this was why you two were paring up more often in the D.A?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"All right then," Mia said, her shock beginning to ebb away and offering them a smile. "I have to meet up with McGonagall, so I'll be leaving now. I promise, I won't say anything, but Jenna, we are definitely talking later, and Fred, you be good to her or I'll curse you into oblivion."

With that being said, Mia shut the door and then continued walking down the corridor, shaking her head with a grin on her face, wondering how in the world she could have missed this.

 **Please review, let me know what you guys think.**


	20. The Best and Worst Birthday Gift

**Hi guys. I know that this is a late update, and I'm sorry, things have just been so very crazy lately, I barely have time to myself anymore. Recently I've had a family member sent to the hospital last month, and has only just left there to go to a rehab center a few days ago. I've been visiting them almost every single day before or after work, so I don't have much time to write anymore, seeing as my boss suddenly started giving me doubles for the past couple of weeks. On top of all of this, I fell behind in writing chapters beforehand, so now I only have one written out already, but I promise that I'm not going to make you guys wait longer than two week for an update. So, I will try my best to get another chapter written out so I can post the next one on time next week.**

 **I really hope you guys like this chapter, but I understand if you don't, it's kind of on the boring side except for a couple scenes. The next one will be better, and if I have my calculations correct, there should be between 3-5 chapters left for this story. Make sure you guys review to tell me what you think and I'll see you in the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Twenty: The Best and Worst Birthday Gift

MiaPOV

Time somehow seemed to speed up after Mia had discovered Fred and Jenna's relationship, and before she knew it, it was time for the final Quidditch match of the season. By this point the weather had turned even more lovely, with more clear skies, and the warmth from the sun was enough to lift everyone's spirits, even if just for a little bit. What was even better was that the match just so just so happened to fall on Mia's birthday, so that when the game was over there was cake and ice cream to look forward to afterwards. The general mood in the castle seemed to have brightened a bit, but only because of the immense frustration and struggle that Umbridge has had to put up with over the past few weeks, due to the spectacular talents of Fred and George Weasley, who were no longer at the school.

As promised, the twins had caused enough of a distraction so that Harry could use Umbridge's fire in her office to speak with Sirius about the memory Harry had looked upon in Snape's personal Pensieve. The memory included the day Snape was finishing his own O.W.L exams when he was fifteen years old at Hogwarts. While in the memory, Harry came across his father, James Potter, as he was relaxing by the lake with the rest of the Marauders after the exams. Hearing Harry tell her about them was a little strange to Mia, as she was trying to picture a much younger Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, with no lines in their faces, or gray hairs atop their heads, having the boyish good looks that the age of fifteen could provide them. Yet what made Harry upset about it was that, purely on the fact that Sirius stated he was bored, James Potter deliberately starting jinxing and hexing Snape for the fun of it. He hung Snape upside down in the air and was humiliating him in front of everybody. At that point Harry's mother, Lily, had stepped in and shouted heatedly at James, demanding that he put Snape down and leave him alone. She stood up for the greasy-haired boy, but then recoiled when Snape stated he didn't need help from filthy Mudbloods like her. James ordered him to apologize, but Lily only rounded on him, saying he was just as bad, messing up his hair, showing off, being arrogant and just a terrible bully. What made it worse was that Snape had found Harry in the Pensieve and was positively livid, literally throwing Harry out of his office and yelling that he would no longer be teaching him Occlumency. Obviously feeling upset by this, and disturbed that everything Snape had said about Harry's father was true, he went to talk to his godfather about it.

While Harry spoke with Sirius, Fred and George managed to cause an entire upheaval by creating an actual swap that stretched out along the fifth floor corridor which included moss, dirty water, mud, weeds, and vines hanging from the ceiling. It was absolutely brilliant, and it sent Umbridge running straight away. However, it didn't take her long to figure out who had done it, and when she had the twins cornered in the Entrance Hall in front of the whole school, she was well and ready to allow Filch the power to whip them both as a punishment. Although, the two boys mere smiled impishly at her and stated that they had no intention to comply to her punishments, and that they figured it was time to leave their full time education. Therefore, the two of them summoned their broomsticks from Umbridge's office, kicked off into the air, and then flew away from the castle into the blinding sunset, shouting at Peeves to give Umbridge hell for them before they went. As they flew away, Mia was clapping along with everyone else at their wonderful escape, and to her surprise, a tiny firework flew down towards her in the shape of a heart, swirling through the air. The heart floated down until it came to a stop right in front of Jenna, who was standing next to Mia, and then it pressed itself against her cheek, making a loud "Mwah!" sound. Jenna had smiled sadly as the little firework faded away, touching her cheek.

"Fred told me what they were planning to do this morning," she explained at Mia's questioning look. "I'm going to miss him, but I understand why he needs to go with George. And it won't be forever, they finally have a location for their shop in Diagon Alley, so I can visit once school is over. I just wish I can be with him…"

Mia only smiled at her friend and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Trust me, if I know Fred Weasley, it would take a lot more than Umbridge to stop him from seeing you."

Following the Weasley twins' departure, Peeve seemed to take their request to heart, for in the days after, he was going all out to make Umbridge's life completely miserable. He did everything from upturning tables, bursting out of blackboards, dropping crystal chandeliers, creating domino lines out of the suits of armor, smashing lanterns, to flooding the corridors and dropping water balloons onto Umbridge's head randomly. The teachers never stepped in to help Umbridge stop the madness, and Mia saw that there was an increasing number of Hogwarts students ordering Skiving Snackboxes from the new Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, helping them to get out of Umbridge's classes. Seeing the old toad tearing her hair out every other day was a cause of great satisfaction, and so the weeks approaching their exams were considerably lighter, almost like how things were before Umbridge ever set foot into the school. There was one incident only a few days ago during their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where Umbridge greeted them all stiffly from where she sat at her desk, and Mia was shocked to see that her hands were covered in what looked like painful, swelling, dark red boils and blisters that made her skin look like the back of an actual toad, wrapped up in loose bandages. All throughout the lesson, she refused to grade their papers, or even open a book, as it seemed every time she moved her hands, she would make a subtle flinch of pain. At one point Mia had looked over to see Harry and Ron sharing triumphant grins from behind their textbooks, and Mia raised her eyebrows.

"Harry," she whispered. "You didn't…"

"We sure did," Ron muttered back.

"What?!" Hermione hissed. "If Umbridge finds out—"

"This is our own personal payback, Hermione," Ron quipped. "Don't you dare say she doesn't deserve it."

"I told you she would pay for what she did to you," Harry said to Mia in a low voice. "We cursed every quill she owns, and there's no way for her to reverse it. She's lucky it wasn't worse…I'm not letting her hurt you again."

"God, what am I going to do with you?" Mia groaned quietly, shaking her head.

"A kiss sounds pretty good to me," Harry replied with an innocent shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh, bloody hell, not this again!" Ron said.

Therefore, after weeks of nothing but chaos, it was nice to get back into the feeling that only a Quidditch game could provide. On the morning of the match, Mia had been woken up by Hermione and Rachel, holding a cupcake in front of her face with a single candle on it, wishing her a happy birthday. Mia smiled at them groggily as she blew out the candle and tried to fall back onto her bed, but the other two girls wouldn't have it, grabbing onto Mia's feet and dragging her out from under her covers. After a few more minutes of fighting, Mia finally got pushed into the shower and dressed before going downstairs into the common room where Ginny and Ron were waiting with Harry, dressed up in their Quidditch gear. Harry gave her a bright smile as she approached him, followed by a sweet kiss that warmed her insides.

"Happy Birthday, love," he said.

"Thanks," Mia said before turning to the two Weasleys. "The only gift I want from you two is to leave Ravenclaw in the dust today."

"I doubt that's going to happen," Ron mumbled moodily.

"Come on, I have faith in you guys," Mia said, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "You're still a king to me, Ron, no matter what."

"Cheers, Mia," Ron said appreciatively. They headed down for breakfast in the Great Hall together, and soon enough it was time for Ron and Ginny to head down to the pitch. After bidding them goodbye, Mia, Harry and Hermione finished up their food.

"What kind of cake do you want for later?" Harry asked her. "Dobby said he would make you any kind you wanted."

"Harry," Hermione said with a light frown.

"He offered," Harry defended quickly, holding up his hands. "I didn't ask him, honest."

"Hmm, how about Snicker doodle Spice?" Mia suggested. "We can have it with vanilla ice cream."

"That sounds really good," Hermione said. "The Room of Requirement should make us a nice little lounge room, too, so we can do presents as well."

"Guys, you don't—"

"You know you're not going to win this argument Mia, so you might as well leave it be," Hermione stated with a firm look. "Room of Requirement, eight o'clock, for dessert and presents. Got it?"

"Fine," Mia said with a roll of her eyes, making Harry chuckle. Once they were done eating, they headed out of the Great Hall with everyone else to go down to the Quidditch Pitch to get ready for the game. Mia really hoped today would be the day that Ron would gain some confidence. During the last game, Hufflepuff—who had narrowly beat Slytherin—lost by only fifteen points to Ravenclaw, and so today's game would determine who claims the Quidditch Cup. As long as Ron kept his cool, she was sure he would do fine, but I the Slytherins broke out into another song of "Weasley Is Our King," she was sure his doubt in himself would increase dramatically. Still, even if Gryffindor does lose, she would work extra hard to sheer Ron up when they went into the Room of Requirement together for sweets later on.

It was a beautiful, clear day with hardly any clouds and a warm breeze to ruffle their hair a bit. Mia walked up into the stands with Harry and Hermione, taking seats that would have a good view of the game, and it wasn't long before players from the Ravenclaw team started zooming out onto the field, shortly followed by the members of the Gryffindor team. Lee Jordan was doing the commentary as usual but without the full cheer as usual. It was safe to say that he missed his two best friends, and was looking towards a more dull end of the school year. Everyone in the stands started clapping and cheering once the game officially started, and Mia kept most of her focus on Ron at the goal posts. The game started out as a promising one, with the Quaffle flying back and forth between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Chasers, while Ginny circled high on the sky, searching for the Snitch. Unfortunately after a little while, one of the Ravenclaw Chasers scores a goal, and Mia groaned while the Slytherins started to sing that wretched song. Mia was so focused on the game that she jumped in her seat when she heard a loud whisper come from right next to her.

"Hey, you three…"

Mia and the others turned to see Hagrid's face sticking out from between the seats. He was bent over and looking around anxiously, as though he was worried about being noticed, although he was at least five feet taller than everyone else even in this position.

"Hagrid? What is it?" said Mia.

"Listen, can yeh come with me? Now? While ev'ryone's watchin' the match?" Hagrid whispered.

"Er, can't it wait, Hagrid?" Harry asked, glancing back over at Ron. "Till the match is over?"

"No," Hagrid replied. "No, it's gotta be now…while ev'ryone else is lookin' the other way. Please?"

All it took was one look at Hagrid's pleading face and Mia knew she couldn't say no to him. Harry and Hermione apparently felt the same because the two of them agreed, and before she knew it, the three of them were following Hagrid out of the stadium and heading towards the forbidden forest. Mia cast a glance over her shoulder, listening as the crowd continued to cheer. She really hoped that Ron didn't see them leave…she didn't want him thinking that they lost complete faith in him and left so they didn't have to see him fail. Hoping that this wouldn't take too long, Mia continued walking with Harry and Hermione as they followed Hagrid's gigantic footsteps into the forest, wondering where he was taking them, and what was so important for him to show them. They all walked through the forest for some time, passing by the towering trees and trying their best to keep up with Hagrid's long strides, seeing as one for him, meant about three for them. The more they walked, the more uneasy Mia became, seeing as she had never been this deep into the forest before. They had been walking so long and so far that the trees overhead were growing even taller and more bunched together, making it look as though it was already night time, and the bushes were getting thicker, pricking them all with their sharp thorns and needles, the forest floor becoming horribly uneven.

"Hagrid?" said Harry as he stumbled over a tree root. "Where are we going?"

"Bit further," Hagrid called over his shoulder. "C'mon, Harry…we need to keep together, now."

"Hagrid, what is it that you have to show us?" Mia asked.

"Yeh'll see wha' I mean when we get ther," Hagrid replied. "I'm sorry ter be so secretive, you three. I wou'n't be botherin' you at all with it, but—but with Dumbledore gone…I'll be likely to get the sack any day now."

"Don't say that, Hagrid," Mia said, shaking her head. "You don't know that…"

"It's only a matter of time," Hagrid said. "The point is, I jus' cou'n't leave withou' tellin' someone about 'im."

"About who?" Hermione said anxiously. "Hagrid, what is going on?"

Hagrid didn't answer, but kept on leading them through the darkness of the forest, and Mia tried her best to calm down her frantic heart, keeping an eye out for any dangerous creatures that might be lurking nearby. They seemed to be walking forever before Hagrid finally came to a stop on the outside of a clearing, motioning for them to stop as well. Just ahead, Mia heard the sound the thundering footsteps, and the snapping of wood, making her anxiety kick in ten-fold. Moving very carefully, Hagrid moved the bushes aside to reveal a sight that made Mia and Hermione gasp out loud, their mouths falling to the ground and their eyes widening in disbelief.

Standing mere feet away was a giant. An actual live, towering giant, standing uneasily to his feet as he watched a little bird fly around his head. Taking a guess, Mia would have to say he was anywhere between twelve and twenty feet tall, barefoot in the dirt, wearing a strange moleskin vest that was unbuttoned, with scraggly brown hair atop his head, a long nose, small ears, and familiar dark eyes. There was a thick strand of rope binding him to a monstrous tree nearby that looked as though it was tugged on frequently.

"Grawp!" Hagrid called out to him. "Grawpy! Down here!"

Grawp took his attention away from the bird to look over at Hagrid, tilting his head.

"He doesn' speak English good, really," Hagrid explained. "I've been tryin' ter teach 'im. Grawpy, come 'ere, now. I brough' yeh some company."

"H-Hagrid," Hermione stuttered. "Who is that?"

"That's the thing, see," Hagrid answered slowly. "While me an' Olympe were seekin' parley with the giants, I foun' Grawp here. Terrible to 'im, they were, always pickin' on 'im, for being small."

 _"Small?"_ Mia squeaked.

"An' I just couldn' leave 'im there cause—cause he's my brother," Hagrid said.

"What?" Harry said, sounding as dumbstruck as Mia felt. "You have a brother?"

'Well, half-brother, really," Hagrid replied. "Turns out me mum got with another giant after she left me and me dad, then had Grawp, 'ere. I coul'n't just leave 'im there, ter get trample someday, so I brough' 'im ter live in the forest. I've been teachin' 'im English, see, tryin' ter make 'im a little less violent."

"Hagrid, is this why you look the way you do?" Hermione demanded breathlessly from shock.

"He doesn' mean it," Hagrid defended. "Jus' losses his temper once in a while, that's all. Doesn' understand it's wrong—"

Hagrid was cut off from his sentence due to Grawp suddenly charging towards them, making the ground shake as he went. Mia and the others instantly hurried backwards but they weren't quick enough, as he reached out with a humongous hand and snatched Hermione up right off her feet, causing the girl to scream in fright.

"Hermione!" Mia yelled.

"Hagrid, do something!" said Harry.

"Grawpy, that's not polite!" Hagrid said in a reprimanding tone. "We've talked about this, haven't we? Yeh don' grab, do you? That's yer new friend, Hermione."

"I don't think he's listening Hagrid," Mia groaned, watching as Grawp looked at Hermione curiously. Mia could see him visibly tighten his grip, and just as she was looking around for something to hit him with, Hermione yelled at him sternly.

 _"Grawp!"_ she exclaimed, pointing a finger right into his face, her voice trembling a bit despite her narrowed eyes. "Put—me—down. _Now._ "

Grawp seemed a little scared at her tone and volume, for he slackened his grip and stared at her with his big eyes for another moment before slowly setting her back on the ground. He backed away with his arms to his chest, like a small child who had gotten into trouble, and then he bent down to pick up a decent sized rock from the ground. Moving carefully as though afraid she would yell at him again, he held out the rock to Hermione, a flicker of eagerness on his face. Hermione, still very shaken up over what has just happened, gave a nervouce glance to Hagrid. When he nodded at her, she took the rock into her hands, instantly sagging a bit from the weight of it. Something like a smile came across Grawp's face before he lowered himself down to the ground a few feet away from them.

"Mione, are you okay?" Mia asked her.

"Yeah, I'm all right," Hermione answered. "He just needs a firm hand, is all."

"I think you've got an admirer," Harry noted.

"He gets his own food, an' all," Hagrid said. "Yeh see, if I do get sacked, Grawpy…well, he'll be needin' some compay once I'm gone."

"What?" said Harry.

"It would only be once a week or so," Hagrid added on. "Like I said, what he'll really need is company, someone ter keep practicin' English with. You will look after 'im for me…won't you? I'm the only family he's got."

Hagrid looked so incredibly sad and worried, it made Mia's heart go out to him. She really wasn't fond of the idea of agreeing to look after a giant if Hagrid got sacked, but seeing the sadness and care he had for his brother's well-being made her second guess herself. She looked over at Harry, who shared a glance with both her and Hermione before sighing quietly.

"Of course we will," he said.

HarryPOV

"I hate to say it, but I'm really starting to worry for Hagrid," Mia muttered. "I know he's done some crazy things before, but this…"

"This is insane," Hermione said frantically. "If Umbridge finds out about this, Hagrid is as good as gone, and who knows what will happen to his brother then."

Harry, Hermione, and Mia had just gotten back from the forest after meeting Grawp and promising Hagrid that if something happens, then they'll keep an eye on him. A part of him wishes he never made that promise, but after one look at Hagrid's face, how in the world was he supposed to say no? Their giant friend expressed his gratitude with pats on the back and fierce hugs that left them all nearly breathless, and when they made the long journey back to the Quidditch field, Harry and the girls were covered in scratches, with their robes torn in different places from all the thorns and sharp-ended bushes they had to trudge through. To Harry's dismay, it looked as though the game was over, since the stands were emptying rapidly and many excited looking students were making their way back up to the castle. They missed the entire game, and Ron was going to be upset when he hears that they didn't see him play. Harry held Mia's hand as they walked up the grassy slopes, wondering what on earth they had gotten themselves into, while Hermione was raving about Hagrid's actions in a furious, hushed whisper next to them, trying to wrap her brain around it all. He himself could barely believe it, and as they continued walking, they heard a very familiar tune coming up from behind them.

 _"Weasley is our king_

 _Weasley is our King_

 _He didn't let the Quaffle in_

 _Weasley is our King…"_

"That's it, I'm going to find whoever made up that song and make sure he sees nothing but stars for a week!" Mia said angrily. "They just can't stop gloating, can they?"

"Hold on," Harry said, moving more slowly as he listened in on the song. "Something's different."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.

"Listen," Harry said, straining his ears as the song continued, and when he turned his head, he saw that it wasn't a group of Slytherins singing, but a large number of Gryffindors, carrying someone on their shoulders.

 _"Weasley can save anything_

 _He never leaves a single ring_

 _That's why Gryffindors all sing_

 _Weasley is our King…"_

"No," Hermione gasped.

"YES!" Harry and Mia yelled together, the both of them with splitting grins on their faces as the crowd of cheering, singing Gryffindors moved passed them, holding Ron up on their shoulders as he thrust the silver Quidditch Cup high above his head, beaming.

"Harry! Hermione! Mia! We won! WE WON!" he called to them, looking happier than he has ever been as the crowd carried him away towards the school, their echoes of "Weasley is Our King" floating on the breeze.

"He did it!" Mia said. "He did it! And we missed it! Urgh, Hagrid owes us big time for this."

…

 _"Happy Birthday to you_

 _Happy Birthday to you_

 _Happy Birthday dear Mia_

 _Happy Birthday to you…"_

Harry smiled as Mia closed her eyes and blew out the sixteen candles that were on her birthday cake. Dobby had really outdone himself, coating the cake with purple frosting with gold lettering and sprinkled with crushed graham crackers on top. Once the candle were out, Hermione set to work using her wand to cut them all a slice and scoop some ice cream onto their plates. They had set themselves up in the Room of Requirement, transforming it into a quant and cozy lounge room, with plush cushions on soft furniture you could sink into, a small fireplace set in front of them, and with the finishing touch of flowers set about here and there, giving the room a very floral scent.

After Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup, there was a small party held in the common room were everyone was clapping Ron on the back for a job well done, and he was certainly enjoying all the attention. Yet after a little while, Harry, Ron, and Hermione managed to sneak away with Mia underneath the invisibility cloak, to have some private time to themselves as they celebrated Mia's sixteenth birthday. They all took a slice of cake and spread themselves out, with Hermione and Ron taking one end of the circular loveseat while Mia and Harry took the other, with Mia's legs dangling over Harry's knees as she leaned back against the armrest. He couldn't help but star at her for a moment as she laughed while watching Hermione scold Ron for scarfing down his cake, insisting that there was plenty for all of them. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed really hard was amazing, as though they were real gems, and her cheeks turned a nice rosy color that made her look positively adorable. Harry honestly couldn't think of anyone more beautiful.

"You're doing it again," Mia said as she cut into another piece of cake with her fork.

"Doing what?" said Harry.

"Staring," Mia replied.

"Give me a reason not to, and I will," Harry said with a smile. Mia looked up at him and smiled back, the blush on her cheeks growing a shade darker.

"I still can't believe that Hagrid managed to smuggle a giant into the forest," Ron muttered after taking a sip of his butter beer. "And he wants us to teach him English?"

"Basically," Harry answered.

"He's really lost his marbles this time," Ron said, shaking his head.

"Well, hopefully Hagrid will be able to make it through the rest of the year without getting sacked, so we won't have anything to worry about," Mia said. "I'm sorry it made us miss the match Ron, I really would have loved to see some of the goals you saved. I'm sure it was brilliant."

"It was just luck, really," Ron tried saying, but smiling nonetheless. "After I let the first one in and the Slytherins started singing, something just snapped. Next thing I knew, I was kinda visualizing where the Chasers would try to score, I went with my gut, and then I saved it."

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor Keeper," Harry noted with a grin. "And you're only going to improve next year."

"Yeah, if I make the team again next year," Ron pointed out.

"You will," Harry said.

"Harry's right, Ron," Mia said. "If this is just what a small boost of confidence can do, you'll be even more great in the future. If you even try to think of an excuse not to try out, I will take away all your sweets and write your mum telling her not to send any."

"You wouldn't!" Ron said.

"You should know her by now to know that she's serious," Hermione said. "Come on, it's time for presents!"

"You guys didn't—"

"Quiet, Mia," Hermione and Ron said at the same time, causing Mia to frown and cross her arms over her chest. Harry laughed at her pout and leaned forward to kiss her cheek before they started handing her their gifts. Hermione had gotten her some more perfume (for which Harry was very thankful for), along with the new C.D of her favorite musician, Celine Dion, while Ron bought her a big box of treats from Honeydukes as a black velvet witch's hat that had silver stars on them. He explained that the stars changed color depending on her mood whenever she wears it. Mia grinned excitedly at this as she jammed the hat onto her head, and then the stars changed to a vibrant yellow color. Harry gave her a personalized stationary and quill set that had her initials on it, as well as a book about her favorite magical artist and painter, Elrick Denbrough. Despite her well protest, Mia loved all of her gifts and thanked them all profusely. The four of them spent more time talking and nibbling at the delicious desserts until Hermione check her watch some time later on and let out a soft gasp.

"It's getting a bit late," she told them. "We should probably get going. We only have a few more days until June, and then our O.W.L's will begin."

They all went quiet as Hermione's words sunk in, hitting them all with tremendous force. Harry couldn't believe that in the middle of all the fun they were having, he had completely forgotten about their exams. An uncomfortable weight started pressing against his chest as he realized that the very thing they had been working so hard for all year was almost upon them. They were about to take the exams that would determine their future.

"Way to go, Hermione," Ron grumbled. "You've officially ruined the birthday party."

Needless to say, Ron and Hermione's bickering lasted the whole way back to the common room, and Harry had to keep himself from rolling his eyes or laughing at them. When they finally reached the Fat Lady and gave her the password, they walked inside to see that the common room wasn't nearly as full as it was before. In fact, it seemed that all the fifth and seventh years had gone up to bed early, and Harry, remembering Hermione's reminder, figured that they all wanted to get a head start on studying for the exams. Ron was the first to head through the door leading them up to the staircase, bidding them all goodnight. Hermione, muttering something about re-reading a chapter in her Arithmancy book before going to bed, hurried out of sight after a brief farewell, leaving Harry and Mia.

"Thanks again for the party, Harry," Mia said. "It was really nice, and I loved my gifts."

"You're welcome," Harry said. "Hey Mia? Would you come with me for a second?"

"Sure," Mia said, looking slightly confused as Harry took her hand and led her through the door leading up to the boy's dormitories. They walked up until they came to the archway in front of the window where he found Mia comforting that first year, Michael, after he had gotten back from his detention with Umbridge. Once there, he turned to face's Mia's curious expression before reaching into his pocket and taking out a small red box tied with ribbon.

"This is for you," he told her.

"I thought you gave me my gifts already?" Mia said in surprise as she took it from him.

"Well, I know Ron would never let me hear the end of it if he saw me give you this," Harry chuckled. Mia stared at him for a moment before she untied the ribbon and opened the lid of the box. Her eyes widened as she peered inside, gazing down at a small, oval shaped locket that had an image of a flower on it, with a tiny crystal-like jewel set in its center. Mia gazed down at it for a moment before looking back up at Harry, her mouth agape.

"Harry, it's…it's beautiful," she whispered.

"Do you really like it? It's empty right now, I thought maybe you'd want to choose what to put in there," Harry explained. "And I didn't get a chain, I thought you'd want to wear it with your horse."

"I love it," Mia murmured, tracing the flower with her finger. "Will you help me hook it on?"

Harry nodded as Mia took the locket out of the box and turned so she was facing away from him, gathering her hair and pulling it over her shoulder. Harry unhooked the chain, took the locket from Mia, and easily slid it on, where it glided down until it landed right next to her stallion. Mia took a moment to admire it before moving back around to face him, staring at him with tender care.

"Thank you, Harry," she said softly.

"You're welcome," Harry said. Mia gave him a smile before she leaned up to give him a kiss, placing her hands on his chest. His heart catapulted in his chest, just as it always did whenever they kissed, and he closed his eyes in sheer pleasure as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close. He pressed himself closer to her until nearly every line of their bodies touched, and he heard Mia hum in her throat as he deepened the kiss, filling himself with her scent. At that moment, Harry felt something flare up inside of him that took him by surprise, and yet made him feel more bold and eager. He used one his hands to tangle his fingers into Mia's hair and, curious, he moved his lips away from hers and started placing gentle kisses on her neck. He heard Mia gasp, and she clutched at his robes, her breathing coming out a little quicker. Harry reveled in the warmth of her skin, and the hand that was currently placed at her hip moved ever so slightly higher, and his thumb brushed up against the sliver of skin that was exposed from beneath her shirt. Mia gasped again, and he felt her shiver against him.

"H-Harry," she breathed in the softest of moans, making his excitement spike. He had to be closer to her…much closer…

Just then, the sound of the door being opened suddenly snapped Harry out of the haze he was in and he realized exactly where they were and what they were doing. He withdrew his mouth and hands away from Mia and took a couple steps back just as a couple fourth years came up the spiral stairs, laughing at some joke one of them must have told. Harry rubbed the back of his neck, trying to look casual and failing miserably. Thankfully, the fourth years didn't pay much attention to them as they passed by, continuing their climb up the stairs and heading towards their dorm. When they were well out of sight and out of earshot, Harry looked back over to Mia to see that she was completely flustered, pulling her hair back from over her shoulder, and clearing her throat awkwardly.

"What was that?' she said.

"I don't know," Harry admitted, his own face turning red. "I'm sorry Mia, I—I don't know what got into me."

"Well, I didn't exactly tell you to stop," Mia said with a shy smile, looking down at the ground. "It was nice, just a little…unexpected."

"I'm sorry," Harry said again. Mia just kept smiling and then came over to him, giving him another kiss while cupping his cheek. When she drew away, her eyes were shining and there was a bit of a mischievous expression on her face.

"Don't be," she whispered. "Like I said, it was nice. Really nice. I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry stood there awestruck as Mia turned away and headed back down the stairs. After about a minute he started heading up to his dorm, knowing that there was no way he could possibly sleep anytime soon with the thought of holding and kissing Mia like that fresh in his mind.

…

At long last, their O.W.L exams were finally upon them. All the late nights of writing essays, mapping charts, reading books thick enough to stand a foot tall, spending hours upon hours working in the library, and practicing spells until their mouths went dry were finally going to pay off, hopefully. Everyone in Harry's year was feeling the anxiety and stress, as the last couple of week shad been filled with the fluttering of book pages and the frustrated mutterings of his fellow students. There have been quite a few people going down to Madame Pomfrey to get some Calming Draughts, and others have stayed up all night studying, trying to remember everything they could. Harry himself has feeling it as well, knowing how important these exams are, but thankfully he was a little more calm about it than others. He formed a study group with Mia, Ron and Hermione every day and night, going over topics they thought would turn up. Harry was nervous for sure, but having the support from his friends made it easier, especially from Mia. Even when they were kids, they would do their homework together and help each other out and because of this, Harry was never awful at school like his relatives expected him to be. He was sure he stood a decent chance.

On the morning of their first exam, Theory of Charms, no one spoke much. All the fifth years very nervous, and Harry found that he wasn't really in the mood to eat much. Once breakfast was, Ginny bid them all good luck as the fifth and seventh years waited inside the Entrance Hall while everyone else headed to class. Then, at half-past nine, they were called back into the Great Hall class-by-class to take their exams. As Harry and the others reentered the hall, he saw that the house tables had been removed, and there were now many small desks lined throughout the room, all suited for one person each. Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the hall and waited patiently as they all took their seats at the desks, which already had the exam, along with quill and ink. Once they were all seated, she told them that they may begin and tipped over the gigantic hourglass that sat on the desk next to her. Taking a deep breath, Harry flipped over his paper and read the first question: _A) Give the incantation and B) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly._ Having a sudden vivid memory of seeing Ron knock out a mountain troll with a club, Harry smiled and began writing in the answer.

 **Please review!**


	21. The Rescue Plan

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Twenty-One: The Rescue Plan

MiaPOV

For the entire week, Mia and her friends took the written part of their exams in the morning and then proceeded to complete the practical parts in the afternoon. To say she was nervous would be a complete and utter understatement. Every morning she would wake up with her nerves on end and she would be in almost constant worry throughout breakfast and up until they sat down at their desks to take their exams. She was positive that she did well on both her written and practical tests in Charms. Once it was time for their practical exams, she was happy to find that all her examiner did was ask her to perform the Cheering Charm, the Levitation Spell, change the color of her hat, and make an apple tap dance across the desk, all of which she performed perfectly. The next day, they all had to take their Transfiguration exams, and Mia found that transforming her ferret into a goblet was a little harder than she thought, but managed to do it after a few hesitant seconds of the ferret trembling in front of her like it was having a seizure, although it still retained the ferret's fur color, so she wasn't sure if she would have points taken off for it or not.

On Wednesday they had to do their Herbology exams, and due to her experimentations in her dormitory, she was able to identify many of the plants in the written portion, and properly replant the Fanged Geranium without getting it's dangerous venom on her skin, remembering how much it can burn from the last time she tried making a remedy to her Sage Powder. When it was time for Defense Against the Dark arts, Mia strode into the Great Hall confidently, knowing that because of Harry's teaching's, she was sure to do well. She kept up her confidence as she perfectly banished a Boggart, countered the Stunning Spell, and disarmed her examiner. She and Hermione both had their Ancient Runes O.W.L's on Friday while the boys had a break, and it was definitely one of the harder ones. Their practical tests were very similar to their written ones, in which they had to translate scripture from many different texts from different wizarding cultures across the ages. By the time they had left their exams, Mia was feeling a little disheartened, fearing she didn't do so well in this as with her other ones, knowing she got quite a few translations mixed up. She only hoped she didn't do bad enough to where it would have a massive effect on her grade.

When their Astronomy exam came around, Mia could finally start to breathe a little better, since it was one of the last ones they had to take. By this time tomorrow, they would have completed all of their O.W.L's, and Mia couldn't wait. It would be such a huge relief to stop studying for the year and enjoy the rest of term, maybe sitting out by the lake under the warm sun while watching the giant squid drift lazily just under the surface of the water. It was the excitement of finally being done that made Mia and the others more determined than ever to see this through. Therefore, the night after they took their written theory of Astronomy, they found themselves on top of the tower where they usually had class. Their examiner, Professor Tofty, had them all set up next to a telescope with a small table to write down their notes. Once they were all set up, Tofty have them permission to start and the next hour was filled with silence as everyone peered into the eye of the telescope, gazing up at the night sky, which was clear of any clouds, making the stars and fat away planets a sight to behold. Miss was standing beside Harry and at some point during the examination, she peeked over at him as he was bent over his notes, scribbling something onto his parchment before moving his gaze back to his telescope. In the darkness his eyes seemed to be much more noticeable and she couldn't help but smile. Then, Harry suddenly looked over at her and he smirked. Her face instantly flushing, Mia turned back to her own notes, hearing him chuckle quietly. The memory of their heated kiss in Gryffindor tower suddenly came to mind and she flushed even more, trying to get back to her work and ignoring how her heart picked up its pace.

The exam went by smoothly, the only noise coming from the scratching of quills. Mia was currently adjusting her telescope to properly mark the position of Venus when all of a sudden, a loud roar echoed out across the dark, quiet grounds of the school, reaching them at the top of the tower. Many students took their attention away from their telescopes, wondering what had happened, but Mia instantly snapped her head over in the direction of Hagrid's cabin, recognizing his voice as the one who yelled. An uneasy feeling started to form in her chest, and she shared a glance with Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were all looking in the same direction. Professor Tofty called their attention back to their exams and Mia reluctantly bent over her parchment once again, trying to finish where she left off. However, only a few minutes later were they all distracted from a loud _BANG_ that came out from across the grounds. Mia again looked over towards Hagrid's cabin and she gasped as she saw Hagrid come charging out, yelling loudly with his fists raised, quickly being surrounded by several figures in ark cloaks who were sending red sparks his way, trying to stun him. Hermione cried out, and Mia left her telescope to lean beside the closest parapet, her eyes fixed on what was happening. There were many cries and yelled reaching her ears as Hagrid continued to fight off the wizards who were trying to subdue him. Fang came bursting out of the house and attempted to defend Hagrid, but he ended up getting stunned, and Hagrid, with a roar of fury, picked up the man responsible and tossed him over ten feet.

"How dare you!" screamed an infuriated voice from down below. "How _dare_ you!"

"It's McGonagall!" Hermione said, pointing out the elderly witch as she came flying through the front doors, her robes billowing behind her as she raced over towards the cabin in a mad fury.

"Leave him alone! _Alone,_ I say!" the Transfiguration teacher shrieked. 'On what grounds are you attacking him?! He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such—"

At that moment, no less than four of the wizards aimed their wands at McGonagall and then shot stunning spells at her, hitting her straight in the chest and sending her backwards, where she landed hard on her back and didn't get back up.

"Professor!" Mia screamed in horror.

"Galloping Gargoyles!" shouted Tofty, scandalized. "Not even a warning! Outrageous behavior!"

"RUDDY COWARDS!" Hagrid bellowed in anger as he continued throwing punches and knocking his attackers out cold. "HAVE SOME O' THAT—AN' THAT—"

Mia and everyone else could do nothing but watch as Hagrid knocked out all the wizards, save for Umbridge and one other man who seemed too terrified to get within twenty feet of him. Hagrid reached down and swung Fang onto his back before taking off towards the distant gates at the end of the grounds, disappearing into the darkness. When all the commotion was over, there was absolute silence at the top of the tower, with many mouths hanging open. Mia herself couldn't believe what she had just seen, and there was a powerful mixture of worry and anger rising within her. Those blast cowards, trying to sneak up on Hagrid like that when no one was around! And poor McGonagall, how could they turn their wands on her with absolutely no warning?! McGonagall was tough but it couldn't be easy for anyone to get through having four stunners sent straight to your chest. Professor Tofty feebly muttered that they had five minutes left to finish their exam, and although Mia was almost done anyway, she felt like she was in a haze as she quickly jotted down her remaining observational notes. By the time it was finally over, Mia stuffed her telescope back in its case quickly and then followed everyone else as they rushed back down the stairs of the tower.

"That evil woman!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes blazing. "Trying to sneak up on Hagrid in the dead of night."

"I'll bet you anything she thought she could get one on Hagrid if she did it when no one was watching, with a bunch of Ministry officials," Mia ground out. "But I guess she wasn't expecting retaliation."

"How come all those spells bounced off him?" Ron said.

"That'll be his giant blood," Hermione explained. "It's very hard to stun a giant, they're like troll, really tough…"

"I'm glad he got away, but now Hagrid's gone too," Mia muttered. "And poor Professor McGonagall. That was disgusting what they did, they're lucky if they didn't kill her!"

"I'm sure she'll be fine, love," Harry tried to reassure her. "Madame Pomfrey can fix her up."

"But it's not going to be easy," Mia countered. "McGonagall's not exactly young, and taking four hits close to the heart won't be easy to come back from. That horrid monster…how much more is she going to take?"

Unfortunately no one had an answer for this, nor did they want to find out the answer. No one went to bed right away after that, in fact the Gryffindor common room was filled with people talking about what had happened, since Hagrid's brawl with the ministry officials and Umbridge woke up half of the castle. The conversations kept on going until it was very late, and it was only then that they all decided to head up to bed. Mia was still feeling restless at first, constantly tossing and turning in her bed, hating Umbridge with all her might and hoping that Hagrid would find somewhere safe to go. Maybe he would meet up with Dumbledore somewhere, seeing as now they're both technically fugitives. She really hoped that Dumbledore would come back soon and fix everything. Never before has Mia looked forward to the school year ending so bad, and wanting to go home to get away from it all. At least tomorrow would be the very day last of their exams, History of Magic, and she couldn't wait.

The next morning, Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione went down to breakfast together in the Great Hall, and once they had eaten, they gathered together for some last minute studying since their exam was to take place later that afternoon. As Mia was flicking through the pages of her textbook, she looked over to see that Harry was sitting with his head in his hands, staring down at the stack of notes Hermione had lent him, his bloodshot eyes scanning over the words and his entire slumped posture expressing exhaustion. She couldn't help but feel a little concerned for him…he looked like he didn't get any sleep at all.

"Harry, are you sure you don't want to take a quick nap before the exam?" she asked.

"I'm sure, I need to get this stuff memorized," Harry replied, sighing as he reached over for the next sheet of parchment.

"But what good is it going to do you if you can't keep your eyes open?" Mia said.

"Don't worry, I'll be all right."

"You know you're way too stubborn, right?"

"Wouldn't have me any other way though, right?"

"Thick-headed git," Mia said with a shake of her head. Harry just smiled at her tiredly before going back to the notes. Much faster than anyone could expect, it was finally time to head back to the Great Hall for their final exam. Mia was nervous as well as excited for this, because even though this was their last one this was also the subject she feared she would do the worst in. She always managed to do well in this class, but nothing outstanding, and she really hoped it was enough to get through this O.W.L because Professor Binns never did a good job at making History of Magic very interesting. They all filed into the Hall to sit down at their desks which held their overturned exams. Mia took a seat a row over from Hermione and diagonal from Harry with Ron somewhere behind her. Once Professor Marchbanks gave them the okay, everyone turned over their papers and started writing. Thankfully, the first few questions were fairly easy, and Mia had no issues with answering them, jotting down her answers and providing necessary details, if needed. She started having some difficulty when she reached the latter half of the questions, and she tapped her chin with her quill, thinking long and hard. Time passed slowly, with nothing but the sounds of scratching quills residing in the vast hall. Eventually the end of the exam was coming upon them, and Mia was glad because she only had a couple questions left to answer. As she was writing down her final sentences, she was disrupted by the sound of someone suddenly yelling loudly. It was so loud in such a silent place that it startled everyone, and Mia looked over in shock to see that it was Harry who was yelling. He had a hand pressed to his scar and he had fallen out of his chair onto the floor, his face contorted with pain and fear. Faster than anyone could blink, Mia shot out of her seat and hurried over to him, bending down to his level to take hold of his shoulders.

"Harry!" she said worriedly. "Harry, what is it?"

"He—he has him," Harry gasped quietly, finally coming out of it and his wide eyes staring directly into hers. "He has Sirius."

" _What?!"_

"What is going on, here?" said Marchbanks as he strode over to them. "My dear boy, are you all right? You do not look well at all…maybe you need to go to the hospital wing."

Harry tried to weakly protest, but Marchbanks insisted, helping Harry to his feet. Mia wanted to go with them, but Marchbanks forbid it, telling her to stay and finish her exam while he escorted Harry out of the hall. She watched them go with a huge, crushing weight on her, filling her with confusion and dread as she slowly made her way back to her seat, her head reeling. Glancing up at the hourglass at the front of the hall, she saw that there was only fifteen minutes left until the exam was over and so she picked up her quill and then her hand went flying across the parchment as she filled in the last questions as best she could, going over what Harry had just said. There was only one "he" that instilled so much fear in him, and Mia was worried about what he had seen. He must have fallen asleep and had another dream…and according to this one, Voldemort somehow got a hold of Sirius. So many questions were buzzing around in her head, making her more anxious and confused than ever, her letters coming out more scrambled on the parchment. How can this be? How can Voldemort possibly have Sirius? Sirius was supposed to stay in Grimmuald place, and as far as she's concerned, the place had enough spells to hide and defend it that it could probably keep out an entire army, even without Dumbledore as the Secret Keeper. So how in the world could the most feared Dark Wizard just walk out into broad daylight and kidnap him? Maybe this was just a dream this time, with no real meaning behind it.

Although, Harry's dreams had always been real-like, and with the way Dumbledore had wanted him to block these kinds of dreams, Mia assumed that they weren't just simple dreams at all. With the way Harry describes them, it seems as though he's really looking into Voldemort's mind. If that's the case, and if Voldemort really somehow does have Sirius…what are they going to do? The last few minutes ticked on agonizingly slow, in which Professor Marchbanks collected Harry's test, and Mia practically flew out of her seat when he announced that it was over. She, Hermione and Ron quickly left the Great Hall together and started racing up the marble staircase. Mia was intending on looking for Harry in the hospital wing, but thankfully she didn't need to, for as soon as they reached the top of the staircase they practically ran into Harry himself as he skidded to a halt in front of them.

"Harry!" said Hermione. "What happened? Are you all right? Are you ill?"

"Where were you?" demanded Ron.

"Come with me," Harry said, taking Mia by the hand and leading them off down the first floor corridor. "There's something I have to tell you."

The four of them wandered off down the corridor, with Harry peering into every classroom until he found an empty one they could use, ushering them all inside and closing the door sharply behind them.

"Voldemort's got Sirius," he said to Ron and Hermione.

"What?" Hermione gasped.

"How—how do you—" Ron stuttered in shock, his eyes wide.

"Saw it. Just now, when I fell asleep during the exam," Harry explained, running a hand through his hair, looking on the verge of panic.

"But how? Where?" Hermione said with an extremely pale face.

"I don't know how," Harry answered. "But I know exactly where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, I've been dreaming about it for months, now. This room is full of shelves covered with tiny glass balls, and they're at the end of row ninety seven. I think the weapon he wants is somewhere in there, because he's trying to force Sirius to get it for him. He's torturing him, says he'll wind up killing him."

There was silence for a moment as they all took in what Harry just said, and Mia saw that his voice as well as his knees were shaking terribly. She wordlessly led him over to a nearby desk and had him take a seat, wanting to say something, but she found her throat to be rather dry and couldn't utter a single sound at the moment. She only pictured Sirius being tortured painfully beyond comprehension, and she had a feeling that Voldemort would keep that up for hours until he showed some shred of mercy and killed him. Her hands instantly felt clammy at the thought. After another minute Harry managed to compose himself enough to look up at them and take a breath.

"How are we going to get there?" he asked them.

"Come again?" Mia said, not quite sure what she just heard.

"G-Get there?' Ron sad, his voice going a little higher than normal.

"Get to the Department of Mysteries so we can rescue Sirius!" Harry said loudly.

"Harry, have you lost your mind?" Mia said with wide eyes, gaping down at him. "We can't just up and go to the Ministry just like that! We have to tell someone!"

"There's no one left to tell!" Harry argued with her. "Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, they're all gone! And we have no way to contact anyone else in the Order!"

"McGonagall's gone?" said Hermione.

"Yes, I went to tell her straight after leaving the Great Hall, but she's been transferred to St. Mungo's," Harry muttered. "We have to go ourselves."

"Harry, how could Voldemort have possibly gotten into the Mnistry of Maggic without being detected?" Hermione asked, her tone laced with fright. "He is the most dangerous dark wizard, and Sirius is the most wanted criminal at the moment, so how could he have snuck Sirius in, let alone himself?"

"How do I know? All I care about is how _we're_ going to get there!" Harry said.

"Harry, please, just take a second to think about this," Mia pleaded with him. "There are hundreds of Ministry workers there, with all kinds of spells defending certain departments. It would be impossible—"

"Mia, you know by now that nothing is impossible," Harry countered angrily, turning his fierce gaze to her. "Not when it comes to him. I'm telling you, this was not a normal dream. Look what happened with Mr. Weasley—I saw him get attacked because it actually happened, right then and there, how is this any different?"

"But Harry this is just too unlikely!" Hermione insisted. "How could Voldemort have gotten a hold of Sirius when he's supposed to be at Grimmuald Place?"

"Sirius might have cracked and wanted to get out for a bit," Ron suggested worriedly. 'He hates that house…"

"But why Sirius, of all people?" Mia asked.

"It doesn't matter why!" Harry shouted. "Maybe his brother has something to do with it since he was a Death Eater, I don't know, and I don't care! All I know is that Sirius is being tortured right now, there's no one left at Hogwarts that can help, so we have to save him ourselves!"

"What if this is a trap?" Hermione put in desperately. "If your dream was real, what if Voldemort showed you this on purpose to lure you out? Please don't take offense to this Harry, but you're the kind of person who would go to anyone's aid if they were in danger or in trouble, especially Sirius! This is why Dumbledore wanted you to learn Occlumency, so you wouldn't see things like this!"

"A bit late for that now, isn't it?" Harry growled. "I am not going to pretend I didn't just see that! And it doesn't matter if this is a trap or not, I'm going with or without you, because I'm not—"

Harry was interrupted from his tirade by the door to the classroom opened and Mia turned to see Ginny enter the room, with Luna in tow, the two of them looking concerned and worried.

"We heard Harry's voice," Ginny explained as they came further inside. "What are you yelling about?"

"Never you mind," Harry said gruffly.

"Harry, enough," Mia said sternly, furrowing her eyebrows. "I know you're frustrated, but don't take it out on us."

"You are being rather rude, you know,' Luna put in serenely.

"We don't have time for this!" Harry groaned. "No offense Ginny, but you and Luna can't help."

"Wait—yes they can," Mia piped up suddenly, an idea forming in her mind. "We're going to have to check to make sure Sirius really has left headquarters—"

"Mia, I told you—"

"Harry, just listen, please!" Mia said, coming forward to bend down in front of him, gripping one of his hands in her own. "Let's just check to make sure, to make absolutely sure that Sirius is okay, and that this isn't some sort of trick. I swear to you, if Sirius is not home, I'll go with you to the Ministry to save him without a second thought. Let's just make sure we're not running off on a wild goose chase. Please."

"How are we going to check?' Harry said.

"We'll have to use Umbridge's office," Hermione said quietly, looking petrified at the thought. "Hers is the only fire still not being checked."

"Ron and Hermione can lead Umbridge away while Ginny and Luna stand watch," Mia continued. "And I'll go with you into her office while you check to make sure Sirius is really gone."

Harry stared at her for a moment, his heated, impatient eyes looking into hers, but after a little bit, they lost most of their fire and his tense muscles relaxed. He finally agreed to the plan and nodded, softly thanking them all. It was then decided that Harry was to go and grab his invisibility cloak and meet them at the end of Umbridge's corridor. Not even fifteen minutes later, Mia was standing with the others at the end of the corridor, her nerves getting the best of her as she stared around, hoping and praying that no one would notice them. While they waited for Harry, she kept wishing that Sirius would be on the other end of the fireplace when Harry called, looking confused as to why Harry was trying to get in touch with him. She hoped he was safe, maybe having a sip of Firewhisky in the kitchen or yelling at Kreacher in one of the drawing rooms. She forced herself to calm down as Harry came into view, hurrying towards them with his cloak under his arm and the pocket knife Sirius gave him clutched in his hands. Ron and Hermione set off to lead Umbridge away while Ginny and Luna took their positions at either end of the corridor. While they started calling for students to find another way around, due to someone letting off some Garroting Gas, Harry led Mia over to a recess before he took the cloak and threw it over the both of them. Wanting to make sure they were completely hidden, Mia pressed herself closer to him so there was no inch of them uncovered, and Harry wasted no time in wrapping his arm around her, holding her against his chest. Mia looked at him to see that he was very pale, his eyes filled with worry and he had a restless vibe, like the last thing he wanted to be doing was standing still.

"Harry," Mia whispered quietly. "Are you okay?"

"No," he whispered back after a moment. "I…I'm scared, Mia. I can't lose Sirius too. I can't."

"You won't," Mia said with determination. "If he's not at Grimmuald Place, then we're going to rescue him. If he is, at least we know he's safe, and we can figure out why you had that dream. It'll be all right."

Mia gave Harry's arm a comforting squeeze and a reassuring smile, and he showed his appreciation by squeezing her waist in return. It took a few more minutes before Ginny and Luna managed to make sure that it was all clear, and once it looked as though no one else was around, Mia and Harry withdrew from their hiding place and quickly headed over to Umbridge's door. When they were safely inside, Harry ducked from underneath the cloak and then headed straight over towards the fireplace. Mia was close behind, but she remained standing while Harry bent down after grabbing some Floo Powder from the mantle and calling out the address for Grimmuald Place. While he thrust his head into the fire, Mia stood with her wand in her hand, standing at an angle where she could keep an eye on Harry as well as the window and the door. The next minute or so seemed to go by awfully slow, and Mia kept her eye trained on the door, weary that someone would come barging in. She just hoped that Harry would be able to contact Sirius and their worries would be over. From this side of the fireplace, she could hear Harry speaking to someone, and hope began rising in her chest. _Please, please, let him be talking to Sirius!_ As the seconds ticked by, Mia attention was drawn to Harry when she heard him raise his voice, and she felt her stomach drop horribly when she managed to make out some of the words that were strongly muffled by the flames: _"Where is he?!"_

"No," Mia breathed in a whisper, shaking her head. "It can't be."

"I'm afraid it is, Mudblood."

Before Mia even had time to be surprised by the appearance of the sudden voice, a hand came out of nowhere to slap itself over her mouth while a slim arm pulled her back, muffling her startled cries. She heard the triumphant chuckle of Malfoy behind her and she narrowed her eyes as she instantly tried fighting him off. Her eyes darted over towards the door that was now open and she saw none other than Umbridge standing there with other members of the Inquisitorial Squad, some of them bringing in Ginny and Luna as well as Hermione, Ron, and—to Mia shock—Neville.

"So," Umbridge breathed, her sinister smile barely concealing her anger. "You think you and your little friends could pull one over me? Well, I'm afraid you are very mistaken, Thatcher."

Without another word, Umbridge strode forward over to Harry's bent form in the fireplace, and Mia let out a muffled cry in warning, but it was too late. Umbridge reached her stubby hand into the green flames and in the next second, she yanked Harry back out, pulling his head back so far he was staring up at the ceiling, with his neck completely exposed.

"You think," Umbridge hissed. "That after two Nifflers I was going to let one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge? I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around my dorrway after the last one got in, you foolish boy. Take their wands!"

Mia could feel someone close by seize her wand and wretch it out of her hand despite her struggles to keep it clasped firmly in her fist. From the corner of her eyes, Crabbe came into view and groped the front pockets of Harry's robes until he took out his wand, with a stupid grin on her face. Once they were rid of their wands, Umbridge demanded to know why they were in her office, and Harry tried to cover it up, saying he wanted his Firebolt back, but Umbridge immediately shot that down, saying Harry knew full well his Firebolt was chained in the dungeons. She tried asking him who was trying to communicate with, but Harry denied it, and she got so angry she threw him away from her so hard he collided with the desk as he fell. Mia let out a low grunt before she opened her mouth and bit down hard on Malfoy's hand, causing the boy to yelp and draw it back.

"Leave him alone!" she yelled, re-doubling her efforts to break away from him. Umbridge replied by striding over to her, pulling her hand back, and smacking her straight across the face, the sound echoing through the room.

"Quiet, you!" Umbridge ordered.

"You b—"

"Silence, Potter!" Umbridge shrieked. "I will not be outsmarted by you and your little friends!"

"We got them all, professor," said a boy Mia didn't recognize as he pointed over towards Neville. "He tried to stop me from taking the Weasley girl, so I brought him along too."

"Good, good. It looks as though Hogwarts will soon be a Weasley-free zone now, won't it? So, Potter, you stationed lookouts around my office and you send these two," Umbridge said, gesturing to a gagged Ron and Hermione. "To tell me that the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew full well he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes. Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to someone. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone."

"It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snarled while Mia turned her face back to glare at Umbridge, her chest heaving in her anger and her eyes flaring.

"Very well," Umbridge said in her sweetest voice. "Very well, Mr. Potter. I offered the chance for you to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Warrington—go fetch Professor Snape."

As Warrington left the office, Mia felt the force of something very heavy strike her senseless, and all she could do was gape at herself, wanting to smack herself in the forehead now more than ever. Damn it all, how could she be so incredibly stupid?! Here they were running around trying to get past Umbridge when there was still a member of the Order here right under their noses the whole time! Mia was beyond frustrated with herself—if she didn't spend most of her time trying to pretend Snape wasn't around, she might have remembered that he _is_ still around!

"You and your friends are finished, Mudblood," Malfoy muttered by her ear. "You'll all be out of Hogwarts by sunset, and maybe even Azkaban, if we're lucky."

Mia responded to this by swinging her foot back and hitting Malfoy right in the shin and as he bent over a little with a grunt, she used her elbow to strike him dead in the face. Malfoy howled in pain, but he loosened his grip long enough for Mia to tug herself free and shove him into one of the nearby desks. However before she could make another move, Goyle hurried over and managed to grab her arms, holding them firmly behind her back and actually lift her off the ground a little, making her groan in frustration as she uselessly kicked the air. Malfoy staggered back to his feet as he glared heatedly at Mia, holding his mouth over his nose, and Mia had a grim satisfaction in seeing a trickle of blood seep through his fingers. The others did not have much success in escaping their captors either, every one of them trying to break free and failing. It didn't take too long for Warrington to come back with Snape, and the potions master merely glanced around at everyone indifferently before inquiring what it was that Umbridge needed from him. Not wasting any time, Umbridge asked for a bottle of Veritaserum, obviously intending on using it on Harry.

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," Snape said. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you three drops would be sufficient."

Umbridge flushed at this, and Mia, even in the midst of her struggles, couldn't help but smirk. That stupid old toad emptied the entire bottle into the tea she gave Harry, and one only needed three drops at most to have the desired effect. Now she has nothing to use to force Harry to speak, and it takes a full moon cycle to make another batch, which wasn't for another month. When Snape pointed out this flaw to Umbridge, she grew furious, demanding something that would help her interrogate Harry as to why he was using her fireplace, but there was nothing anyone could do. Snape stated that unless she wished to poison Harry (which Mia was sure he'd have no objection to), there was nothing he could do for her. As Snape turned to leave the office, Mia saw Harry's expression become frantic and desperate, and then he was shouting to Snape.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry said, looking as though he was willing Snape to listen and understand what he was saying. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

Snape's hand froze on the handle to the door to the office, and when he turned back to look at Harry, his eyes and face were blank, so Mia couldn't tell whether he understood what Harry meant.

"Padfoot? What is Padfoot?" cried Umbridge, staring from Snape to Harry. "Where what is hidden? What is he talking about, Snape?"

Snape stared at Harry for a few more seconds before moving his gaze to Umbridge.

"No idea," he stated. "Potter, if I want nonsense shouted at me, I would give you a Babbling Beverage."

 _That's it, he's done for!_ Mia was raging inside her mind as if looks could kill, she would have strangled Snape and beat him to bits, stomping him into the ground. The greasy-haired man left the office without another word, closing the door sharply behind him, and Mia swore she would get him back for this. She was sure she knew that Snape knew who Padfoot was, and if this was some sort of twisted revenge on Sirius or Harry, she would make him pay! When Snape was gone, Umbridge seemed to breathe a bit harder, her face, turning an ugly red color.

"Very well," she whispered as she pulled out her wand. "Very well. I am left with no alternative. This is more than a matter of school discipline…this is a matter of Ministry security. Yes…yes…"

There was a sudden look to Umbridge that Mia didn't like one bit. She was shifting her weight nervously as she glanced at Harry, twirling her wand in her hand, and Mia had a very bad feeling about this. She watched as Umbridge kept muttering to herself for another minute before she turned to face Harry with a deadly calm stare, although her face was still inflamed.

"You are forcing me, Potter…I do not want to…but sometimes circumstances justify the use. I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice…the Cruciatus Curse should loosen your tongue."

"NO!" Mia screamed in horror, kicking and flailing with all her might. "If you lay a finger on him I swear I will—"

Mia was cut off as Umbridge waved her wand in her direction and then Mia was suddenly gagged like the others, her high volume profanities coming out terribly muffled. She continued screaming as Umbridge slowly advanced on Harry, pointing her wand to different places on his body, as though she didn't know where to start, a twisted sort of glee on her face.

"What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him," Umbridge muttered, sounding as though she were trying to convince herself. "He never knew I ordered the dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."

" _What?!"_ Mia yelled through her gag.

"It was _you?_ " Harry exclaimed in anger. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," Umbridge breathed, a manic look in her eyes. "They were all bleating about silencing you, somehow—discrediting you—but I was the one who actually _did_ something about it! Only you wriggled your way out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today though, not now."

And then she raised her wand so it was pointed directly at Harry's forehead, and Mia felt her heart stop.

" _HARRY!"_

" _Cruc—"_

"NO!" Hermione shouted as she managed to somehow spit out her gag and stare wide-eyed at Harry. "No, Harry—Harry, we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" Harry yelled at her.

"We'll have to, Harry, she's going to force it out of you anyway!" Hermione said as she started sobbing into her hands. "What's the point?"

"Hermione, don't!" Ron shouted from his gag. Mia gazed at Hermione for a moment, neither angry or surprised, but confused. What was Hermione playing at? She knew the girl well enough to know when Hermione's tears were real, and these supposed ones were as fake as they could be. Umbridge demanded to know what Hermione was talking about.

"Well," Hermione cried. "He was trying to contact Professor Dumbledore…to tell him that it's ready…"

"That _what_ is ready?" said Umbridge impatiently.

"D-Dumbledore's secret weapon," Hermione replied shakily.

"A Weapon?" Umbridge said. You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?"

"Y-yes," Hermione falsely sobbed into her hands. "H-he had to leave b-b-before it was f-finished, but it's finished n-now and we were trying t-t-to tell h-him."

"Excellent, excellent," Umbridge breathed, looking happier than Mia has ever seen her. "You will lead me to this weapon, and we'll bring Potter along too. Draco, you and the others stay put to make sure the rest of them don't escape. Go on girl, you lead on. Come Potter, we haven't got all day…"

Mia felt utterly helpless as she watched Umbridge march Harry and Hermione out of the office and her mind was positively swimming with what Hermione could possibly be thinking. What was she trying to do? Was she trying to distract Umbridge in some way? Even if that was the case, how long would it be before Umbridge caught on and hurt them. The thought was too much for her and she instantly started thinking about how they could possibly get out of this. The next few minutes passed by very slow as Mia thought about what to do, and then something clicked in her brain when she set her sights on Luna. For the entire time that they had been in the office, Luna simply stood beside her captor, staring serenely out of the window, but in that moment she moved her gaze to meet Mia's and her heart started beating faster in anticipation. She glanced at the Slytherin girl standing beside Luna, who didn't seem too bothered since the younger girl was cooperating, then she looked over at the desk that was sitting right in front of her and Goyle. A plan quickly forming, she glanced at Luna, then the girl, then back to Luna before making subtle movements with her finger, imitating a wand. Then she glanced at the desk, then at Goyle and made a fist. Luna kept her peaceful expression on her face but smiled at her in a way that told Mia she understood. Taking a deep breath, Mia mentally prepared herself, and then she lifted her feet and used all the strength she had to push them against the desk.

"Now, Luna!" Mia holloared. With speed she didn't know the girl possessed, Luna swiped two wands from the girl's pocket while Mia sent herself and Goyle straight into the wall with enough force to make him stagger sideways in pain and lose his grip on her. In the next second the girl went flying through the air and landed hard on the floor. Luna took hold of her wand and then threw the other one at Ron, who managed to use the distraction to punch his captor before catching his wand in his hand. He aimed a Stinging Hex at the boy holding Ginny while Neville actually pushed back against Crabbe, receiving a fist to the eye. Luna sent a nasty jinx Goyle's way which ended up with him falling to the ground unconscious and finally releasing his hold on Mia. Happy to be free at last, she groped through the pockets of his robes to see that he was the one who had taken hers and Harry's wands. She straightened up in time to see Malfoy coming towards her with his own wand raised, but Mia, her face set, was quicker as she raised her wand and yelled, " _Rictusempra!"_ Malfoy went flying through the air where he crashed into some desks and remained on the floor, earning a grin from Mia. Within the next minute, they had all rendered the Inquisitorial Squad unconscious, and all had their wands back.

"Thanks, Luna," Mia said to the blonde girl.

"You're very welcome," Luna said pleasantly. "That was quite amazing, you know, I don't think Harry taught us that one."

"I remembered him using it on Malfoy in our second year," Mia explained. "Thought he might like a little trip down memory lane."

"We have to find out where they are," Ron said urgently. "Hermione could be leading them anywhere…"

"Look!" Neville exclaimed as he looked out of the window, pointing. "They're going into the forest!"

"What?" Mia said as she rushed over to see. Indeed, she reached the window just in time to see Hermione leading Harry and Umbridge into the depths of the Forbidden Forest and out of sight. She didn't like how things were looking, and she instantly started to worry—there were so many terrible, dangerous things in the forest, including the Arachnids, Grawp, and considering how the centuars are feeling about humans lately, they will not be pleased to find some on their territory.

"We have to follow them, now!" she said as she turned around and dashed out of the office.

"Why is Hermione leading them into the forest?" Ron called as he and the others started following her down the corridor.

"I don't know, but if we don't hurry they'll all be in danger!" Mia replied as she began racing down the flight of steps. She and the others ran all the way down to the Entrance Hall and out onto the grounds, sprinting towards the area where Harry, Hermione and Umbridge disappeared. With her face set, Mia flew past Hagrid's cabin and into the shadows of the trees without a second thought, her feet flying along the dirt path. She could hear the others behind them and for a long while, they ran further and further into the woods, trying to catch up. The deeper they went into the forest, the more dark and dreary the forest became. As they moved, Mia kept her eyes open for her friend's familiar faces, hoping that they were okay. After a bit more time searching, there was a sudden rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very ground they stood on, causing Mia to stop running. Breathing heavily, she stared around, hearing a very loud commotion going off somewhere towards the right, off the path.

"What is that?" Ginny panted, coming to a stop beside her.

"I don't know," Mia said, peering into the darkness. After a few more seconds, there was another loud rumble, followed by shrieking, battle-like cries, a booming roar, and a familiar shrill scream.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled before taking off in the direction the noises were coming from. Mia was close behind them as they started running again, following the noises and quickly getting scratched and pricked by the sharp branches and stems from the nearby bushes. Mia hissed as she tore through one nasty brush that left a stinging cut on her cheek, but she ignored it as she kept going, trying to keep Ron's bright red hair in sight. Soon the loud noises were beginning to grow fainter and fainter until they vanished altogether, but before Mia could lose any sort of hope, she was able to detect voices that were very close by. Smiling in relief, she and Ron led the way over to a small clearing where they could hear both Harry and Hermione speaking.

"…can't do anything without our wands," Hermione was saying worriedly. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," Ron said as he moved aside a low hanging branch and stepped into view, with Mia and the others right behind him. Upon seeing Harry and Hermione, Mia's smile grew—they may looked worse for the ware, with torn clothes, slightly bloody faces and appearing ruffled up, but otherwise they were all right. Mia quickly moved forward and pulled Harry in for a hug, sighing deeply.

"You prat," she said as she released him. "I was worried about you two."

"It looks worse than it is," Harry said. "How did you all get away?"

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Impediment Jinx, Bat-Bogey Hex, Stinging Hex, and some brilliant thinking by Mia," Ron replied, grinning as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Hermione's wand, giving it back to her.

"What happened to Umbridge?" Mia asked as she gave Harry back his wand.

"She got carried away by Centaurs?"

"Centaurs? But how—," Mia cut herself off as she suddenly understood, positively beaming. "Hermione Granger, you clever witch!"

"They didn't take you two?" Ginny said, astonished.

"They were considering it, but they got chased off by Grawp," Harry explained.

"Who is Grawp?" Luna asked curiously.

"Hagrid's little brother," Ron answered. "But Harry, what did you see in the fire? Does You-Know-Who have Sirius, or…"

"Yes," said Harry. "I'm sure he's alive, but I can't see how we're all going to get there to help him."

They all fell silent at this, looking very scared. Mia herself was beyond worried—if Voldemort does indeed have Sirius, how much longer will it be before he decides to kill him? Harry had his dream quite a while ago now, so much time has already been wasted.

"Well, we'll just have to fly, won't we?" said Luna.

"I think Ron and Ginny are the only ones with brooms right now, Luna," Mia said, ignoring the way her stomach gave a horrible jolt of panic at the idea. "Harry's Firebolt is still chained up in the dungeons, and the rest of us would have to break into the lockers to take any school brooms, but they're too slow anyway and there's not enough time. We have to think of another way."

"There is no 'we' or 'the rest of us,'" Harry stated firmly.

"Excuse me?" said Ginny with narrowed eyes. "Don't think for a minute you are leaving any of us out, Harry! I care about what happens to Sirius, too!"

"You're too—"

"Don't give me that, I'm, three years older than you were when you defended the Sorcerer's Stone!" Ginny argued fiercely.

"We were all in the D.A together," Neville put in quietly, his face determined. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real—or was that all just a game or something?"

"No—of course it wasn't—" Harry said.

"Then we should come too," Neville said. "We want to help."

Harry glared at Ginny, Luna and Neville, his chest heaving in his frustration and Moa could see the slight twitch of his eyes, like he was in pain. Is his scar still hurting him? He must have figured that there was no way they were going to back down anytime soon about this, so he begrudgingly agreed in an angry huff, stating that it wouldn't matter if they couldn't find a way to get there.

"I told you, we can fly," Luna said.

"Look, we can't just sprout wings and take off whenever we want to," Ron said.

"There are other ways to fly other than using brooms," Luna told him. "We can use _them._ "

Mia turned around to see what Luna was referring to, and she was shocked to see that two fully grown Thestrals were standing very close by, staring at them as if they understood exactly what they were saying.

"Of course," she muttered. "Thestrals are good at knowing their riders' destination, and they make record time, if I remember right."

"Thestrals?" Ron said. "You mean those horse things that you can't see unless you've seen someone snuff it?"

"Yeah," said Harry, gazing at the creatures with immense eagerness and appreciation. "But there's only two."

"You and Harry are covered with blood," Ginny said. "And Hagrid uses rare meat in order to lure them, so it won't be long before more show up."

Ginny was right. As the minutes passed by, more and more Thestrals started appearing, drawn to the scent of the blood that was on Harry and Hermione's robes. Soon enough there were no less than six Thestrals surrounding them. Luna offered to help Ron, Hermione and Ginny onto their Thestrals since they were the only ones who couldn't see them, and Neville started making his way over to the one closest to him. Harry fisted his hand into the mane of the Thestral that was closest and used the nearby tree stump to hoist himself over clumsily. When he managed to balance himself out and secure himself on the creature's back, he held his hand out to Mia. She swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat and the nerves were exploding painfully in her stomach. Despite this, she grabbed Harry hand and used it to hoist herself up, carefully swinging her leg over the Thestral's back and using Harry's shoulder to steady herself. Once she was settled she immediately latched her arms around Harry's waist, just as she did last summer when they were riding on his broom on the way to Grimmauld Place.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, the concern evident in his voice.

"I'll be fine," Mia replied, thankful she was able to keep her voice from shaking, although she tightened her hold on him, pressing herself flat against his back. It only took Luna a few more minutes to help the others get on their Thestrals, and once she was safely secure on hers, Harry turned and awkwardly gave instructions for the Thestral to take them to the Ministry of Magic. For a moment, the Thestral was completely still, but before they knew it, it stretched out it's leathery wings, crouched down low, and then took off so fast and so sudden that Mia let out a sharp squeal before she shut her eyes tight and bent her head down as the creature soared up and broke through the tree line. Her heart was pumping very fast and she fisted her hands in Harry's robes, but her face was set in determination, and she prayed that they wouldn't be too late.

 _Hold on Sirius, we're coming!_

 **Please review!**


	22. The Department of Mysteries

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Department of Mysteries

MiaPOV

Even though Mia was sure that the ride to London didn't take too long, it seemed to last for an eternity to her. All she did the entire time was keep her eyes shut tight and pressed herself against Harry as the Thestral flew them through the darkening sky, the air harsh and cold against their skin. She shivered as they soared high through the clouds, and she didn't dare to open her eyes even an inch, knowing that if she took one glance at the ground below, it would cause her to faint. The best she could do was hold on tight as hope that they would reach their destination soon. Fortunately, after a while the Thestral suddenly headed straight into a dive towards the ground, and Mia let out a yelp as it did, the strong wind making her hair fly behind her. Half of her expected to crash, but the Thestral gracefully landed, slowing down to a trot until it stopped altogether. It was only then that Mia opened her eyes and she was stunned to see that the Thestral indeed brought them to London. It was fully dark by now, the alleyway they found themselves in lit with the yellow-orange glow of the streetlamps. As the others landed on the pavement next to them, Mia looked around to see the familiar sight of the old telephone box standing on the corner, which she remembered to be the visitor's entrance. Moving carefully, she and Harry slid off of the back of the Thestral, with her legs feeling somewhat wobbly. Everyone else dismounted as well, looking very relieved that the ride was now over and they were back on solid ground. Harry gave their Thestral a grateful pat on the snout before leading them all over to the box, opening the door and ushering them in. It took a moment to squeeze everyone in together, as it was a very cramped space, and by the time Harry followed them in, he was barely able to close the door behind him.

"Whoever is nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!" Harry instructed. Somehow Ron managed to squeeze his arm through and turn the dial, and almost immediately the cool female voice sounded inside the box.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Mia Thatcher, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom!" Harry replied very quickly. "We're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"`

"Thank you," said the voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

The badges all came out of the metal chute just like last time, each one with one of their names on it, but they didn't bother with them. After informing them to present their wands at the security desk, the telephone box gave a sudden shudder and then they all started to descend into the ground, the alley and the Thestrals falling out of sight. For a short while darkness loomed around them, and then there was a chink of soft yellow light falling over their feet and creeping up their bodies as they began their landing in the Atrium. Mia was surprised—she knew that since it was night almost everyone was probably home, but it was still strange to see the entire Atrium so empty compared to the last time she was here. There were no fires under the mantelpieces, no witches or wizards moving this way and that in a clutter. There was only silence except for the sound of gushing water from the golden fountain holding the statues of the Centaur, House Elf, Goblin, and wizard. Once the box was set safely on the ground, Mia fell in line behind everyone as they clamored out and she stared around the empty space, a terrible sense of unease and foreboding taking over. She pushed aside the nerves that were spreading across her body like goosebumps and then followed Harry as he led them all sprinting down the Atrium towards he lifts on the other side. She vaguely saw that there was no one at the security desk, and it made her feel even more worried. When they came upon the lifts, Harry instantly hit the nearest down button and one appeared before them in a matter of seconds.

Before Mia knew it, they were all jumbled together in the lift, making their way noisily down to the ninth floor, much fast than the last time. It didn't take long at all before the lift came to a sudden stop, the grilles opened up, and the female voice announced that they had finally reached the Department of Mysteries. With her heart beating a bit faster, Mia tightened her hold on her wand as she stared down at the plain black door at the very end of the corridor.

"Let's go," Harry whispered as he started leading the way towards the door. As they approached the door, it immediately swung forward, seeming to lead straight into darkness. Mia licked her dry lips as she entered the mysterious room right behind Harry, with the others close by. The room they walked into was one of the strangest that Mia had ever seen. It was completely black, including the walls and ceiling, and the only light came from many candles that were lit with blue flames, casting an eerie glow around the place that made Mia feel as if she were in the middle of a ghost story. All seven of them stood in the middle of the room, gazing around, and that was when Mia realized that all along the wall of the circular room were about a dozen doors, all identical to the one they had just come through.

"Which way?" asked Ron.

"I'm not sure," Harry muttered, looking from one door to another. "In my dreams I only ever noticed one, the one directly across from the one we just went through, and it led me into another room, filled with glittering lights. Neville, shut the door."

However, the second Neville did as Harry said, there was a sudden rumbling sound and she heard Hermione gasp in surprise as the wall started moving, along with the doors. They were spinning around so fast that the blue flames of the candles were becoming a dark blur, and by the time the doors stopped moving and fell into place again, Mia felt extremely dizzy. As soon as her eyes came back into focus, she realized that the doors rearranged themselves so they couldn't figure out which one to go through, or which one they had just come from. Cursing, Harry looked around before heading over towards the door closest to him.

"We'll have to try each one," he said to them. "Come on…"

They all had their wands at the ready for whatever was on the other side of the door, but thankfully nothing sprang out at them when Harry opened it. He peeked cautiously inside and then gestured for them all to follow. Upon entering the room, Mia noticed that it was more brilliantly lit than the dark circular one, with huge lamps hanging from the ceiling. There wasn't much in this room except for a few desks and a rather big tank set up in the middle, big enough for all of them to swim in, filled with greenish-blue water. Inside the tank there were floating white shapes, drifting lazily through the water.

"What are those things?" asked Ginny. "Fish?"

"I don't think so," Mia answered as she slowly walked over to the tank to have a better look. Squinting her eyes, she peered into the glass and then her mouth dropped open as she saw exactly what the white shapes were.

"They're brains!" she said.

"What?" gaped Neville. "Did you say _brains?_ "

"Yeah," Mia said, scrunching up her nose as she backed away from the tank. "I don't even want to think about what they're being used for."

"This isn't right," Harry said, reaching forward and taking Mia's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

They all left the brain room together and found themselves back in the circular room. Before they could close the door, Hermione raised her wand in the air and with the right incantation, she was able to draw a bright red "X" on the door so when they did close it, and the room once again started spinning, they knew not to go through the door with the "X". The next couple of minutes were spent going through doors, all of which wasn't the right one, and every time they came back out, Hermione drew the red "X" on them, making the process ten times easier for them. After trying out a few more doors, Harry opened one up that led into a huge room that was shaped like an amphitheater, with many stone benches leading down into a sunken stone floor which held a raised dais where a tall, pointed stone archway stood looming over them. This archway looked so ancient and frail that Mia was honestly surprised it was still standing. It looked as though one gentle nudge was enough to make it tip over. There was a black veil hanging from the archway and even though it was so silent and still in the room, the veil ruffled and swayed, as though someone had just gone through. The room in general gave Mia the creeps and she couldn't stop the chill that went up her spine in that moment, her unease increasing drastically as she stepped inside. There was something about the archway she didn't like, but she couldn't put her finger on why. She continued staring at it for a moment longer until she noticed Harry stepped down on the stone benched, moving closer to it.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Mia said.

"The voices," Harry replied. "Can't you hear them? There's someone there."

"Harry, there's no one there," Ginny told him as she moved around to look on the other side of the archway. "There's no one but us in here."

"I can hear them too," Luna said, staring wide-eyed at the veil. "They're in there."

"There's no one in there!" Hermione said with exasperation.

"Harry, come on," Mia urged as she went forward and took hold of Harry's elbow. "We have to find Sirius."

"Yeah…Sirius…" Harry said, shaking his head as he turned his gaze away from the archway and looked at Mia. They all left the room together and Hermione marked this one with another bright red "X". The second the closed the door, the merry-go-round started again and then it stopped, leaving not that many unmarked doors to go through. Sighing to himself, Harry moved forward towards the one in front of him and then pushed it open.

 _"This is it!"_ he exclaimed.

"What?" Mia gasped as she hurried forward so she was peering over his shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Harry confirmed as he moved inside. "Come on!"

Mia followed him inside and she stared wildly around at the strange room they found themselves in. It was huge, the size of Notre Dame Cathedral most likely, darkness encasing the ceiling so they couldn't even see it, and lit by the indigo flames of the candelabras and the faint blue-green glow of the dusty glass orbs that surrounded them on all sides, perched upon shelves that went as far as the eye can see. It was very cold in the room, so much that Mia's breath instantly started coming out in wisps of white cloud. She and the others trailed after Harry as they walked past the numbered aisles between the shelves, starting at row fifty-three, all of them with their wands out. Mia glanced down each aisle they passed, weary of the shadows that lurked towards the other end. She could hear Harry muttering the numbers out loud to himself as they moved, and before she knew it, they were getting closer and closer to row ninety-seven, the row Harry had seen Sirius being tortured at. She kept her ear out for any sort of noise—Sirius yelling or Voldemort's vile laughter, her wand grasped tightly in her hand. Even though her fear was slowly escalating from her stomach to her chest, she was determined to see this through. There was no way in hell she was going to let Voldemort hurt Sirius! Not anymore! Her eyes narrowed as they finally passed ninety-six, and she raised her wand a little, a curse about to form on her lips.

However, when she stopped beside Harry at the end of the row, there was nothing there. No Sirius, no Voldemort…nothing. Just an empty space. Something dropped horribly in her stomach as she stared at the floor below them, and her heart was picking up its pace at a frightening level. No, this wasn't right…Sirius should be here. Harry saw him.

"He might be…" Harry muttered, looking down the surrounding aisles frantically. "Or maybe…he has to be…"

"Harry?" Hermione said tentatively.

"No, he's here," Harry said, still searching. "He has to be…I saw him…"

"Harry," Mia said, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "Sirius isn't here."

There was a moment of complete and utter silence as Mia and Harry looked at each other. She could see the change in his eyes almost immediately, going from assured and frantic to panicked and anxious in the time span of three or four heartbeats. He was quickly coming to the same realization as she was, and it didn't help to calm the nerves exploding in her stomach. Sirius wasn't there…he never was. The chill in the room was much more prominent now, and Mia's body started to tremble from it as she wondered what they were going to do now.

"Harry," Neville called. "This orb thing…it has your name on it."

"What? My name?" Harry repeated blankly, turning his attention over towards Neville. Mia followed his line of sight to see that Neville was standing near the end of row ninety-seven, staring fixedly at one of the glass balls. Harry moved over to stand next to Neville gazing at the ball intently. The inside was filled with swirling smoke, and had layer upon layer of dust on it, as if it had not been touched in several years. After a few more seconds of staring, Harry slowly reached out for the glad ball.

"Harry, wait!" Mia objected instantly. "Don't touch that!"

"Why?" he asked.

"You have no idea what that thing is," Mia explained. "It could be dangerous."

"My name is on it though," Harry countered, moving his hand closer to it. "It has something to do with me."

"Harry," Mia urged, but he didn't listen as his fingers engulfed the tiny fragile orb and he took it down from the shelf. He wiped away the dust with his thumb and then brought it over for them to see. It seemed so small in his hand, but there was something about it that made Mia want to cringe away from it. There was a yellow tag attached to it, and even through the dark, Mia was able to make out the date it was written—which was about sixteen years ago—and the additional words that were scribbled upon it.

 _S. P. T to A. P. W. B. D_

 _Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter_

"What is this?" Ron whispered. "Why is your name on it?"

"I don't know," Harry whispered back, transfixed upon the ball in his hand. At that moment there was a sudden voice that came from right behind them, a voice that made Mia gasp sharply and spin around, her eyes widening in shock and terror.

"Excellent work, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

 _Damn it all! Lucius Malfoy!_ Mia didn't have much time to think as dark shadowy figures appeared all around them, wearing dark cloaks and eyes peering at them through slits underneath their hoods. Every single one of them had their wands out, pointed directly at them, and they were blocking any chance of escape left and right. She raised her wand along with everyone else but she knew it was no good—they were definitely outnumbered. The figure closest to them stepped forward, and with a wave of his wand, his hood fell down and his Death Eater's mask faded away, revealing the smirking face of Malfoy. He approached them slowly, his hand outstretched with his palm facing up.

"To me, Potter," Malfoy said, indicating the glass ball. "To me."

"Where's Sirius?" Harry demanded fiercely, visibly tightening his hold on the orb. Many of the Death Eaters around them laughed, their voices echoing in the surrounding darkness.

"Silly boy," Malfoy sneered. "The Dark Lord always knows."

"I want to know where Sirius is!" Harry yelled.

 _"I want to know where Sirius is!"_ a woman's voiced mimicked from the left, adding on a manic cackle that made Mia flinch. "The wittle baby woke up fwightened and fort what he dweamed was twoo!"

"You know Potter, you really need to learn the difference between dreams and reality," Malfoy said smugly. "You only saw what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now give me the prophecy, or we'll start using wands."

"Go on, then," Harry said, raising his own wand to chest level. "If you do anything to any of us, I'll smash it!"

"He knows how to play!" the woman laughed. "Itty, bitty, baby Potter!"

"Give me the prophecy and no one need get hurt," Malfoy stated coolly.

"Sure," Mia snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. "And we're honestly supposed to believe that?"

 _"Accio proph—"_

 _"Protego!"_ Harry exclaimed before the woman could get the rest of the words out of her mouth, reflecting the summing charm. The woman stood there for a moment, her laughter dying away and then she removed her hood and mask as well. Bellatrix Lestrange grinned wickedly down at them, using her wand to twist one of her wild dark curls that were hanging in her pale, shallow face, her eyes blazing with something dangerous. Mia swallowed the lump in her throat and she quickly edged a little closer to Neville, not daring to look at the expression on his face, knowing he would recognize the woman instantly.

"The baby tinks he's so gwown," Bellatrix taunted. "Very well—"

"No!" Malfoy hollered at her. "If you smash it—"

"Maybe he just needs a bit of persuasion?" Bellatrix suggested in a tone Mia did not like whatsoever. "Very well—take the smallest one. Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it."

Mia's eyes were ablaze and her face was set as she and everyone else moved to close in around Ginny, and she stared Bellatrix down heatedly, directing her wand straight at her chest.

"If you go near her I will blast you to bits!" she threatened.

"I'm beginning to get sick of your mouth, girl," Bellatrix hissed, her smile waning a little. "Keep it up and you'll be next."

"What kind of prophecy is this?" Harry interjected, reaching over to grasp Mia's sleeve almost subconsciously.

"What kind of prophecy?" Bellatrix repeated, her smile completely gone now. "Surely you jest?"

"Nope, no jesting," Harry replied, and Mia felt him tug hard on her sleeve a couple times. She risked a glance at him, confused, but her attention was brought back to her sleeve when he took the fabric in between his fingers and tugged it upwards in a sort of swerving motion, but subtly so that the Death Eaters wouldn't see.

"Why does Voldemort want this?" Harry asked.

"You," Bellatrix breathed in a hushed whisper. "You dare speak his name?"

"Yeah, I have no problem saying Vol—"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked in rage. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood tongue, you dare—"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" Harry said, making Mia want to smack him upside the head. "Yeah, his mother was a witch and his father was a Muggle—or has he been telling you lot he's pure blood?"

 _"STUPEF—"_

 _"NO!"_ Malfoy yelled as he quickly used his wand to deflect Bellatrix's spell, sending it crashing into a group of nearby glass orbs, causing them to shatter to the ground and the mist that was inside emerge out of them, ghostly voices coming from them. Malfoy was screaming at Bellatrix not to attack, that they needed the prophecy intact. While this was going on, Harry made the same tugging motion again with Mia's sleeve and this time he gave her fingers a squeeze. A sudden memory of one of their D.A lessons came to mind and she gave him a barely noticeable nod without looking at him. He had taken her hand in that lesson and showed her the same movement while trying to teach her a powerful jinx…

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" Malfoy bellowed, giving Mia the chance to whisper to Ron out of the corner of her mouth.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy," Harry said, trying to buy them some time. Malfoy stared at him for a moment before he smiled.

"Has Dumbledore really never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowls of the Ministry?" Malfoy asked in malicious excitement.

"What?" Harry said. "What about my scar?"

"My, my, this is interesting," Malfoy droned. "The Dark Lord wondered why you never came earlier, Potter. He believed natural curiosity would want you to hear the exact wording. Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby? Why you have that scar which connects you to him?"

Mia could feel rather than hear the message being passed on while Harry tried to keep Malfoy talking, but at his words, Harry fell silent, his mouth set into a thin line. The atmosphere was becoming so tense, and Mia could see Harry's posture stiffen. While his eyes were fierce, they were also filled with a sudden longing. Mia knew Malfoy was starting to get to him, and with good reason to. Did this glass ball—this prophecy—have the answers? Would it explain why Voldemort went after Harry so many years ago? Why his parents were dead? The idea was so very tempting, but at the same time she knew they couldn't trust Malfoy no matter what he said. Even if there was a slight chance he was speaking the truth, she knew that if this prophecy was that valuable to Voldemort, he mustn't get it. Malfoy continued speaking, telling Harry that prophecies can only be retrieved by those who the prophecy is about. The one Harry was clutching so tightly in his hand was about him and Voldemort, and so since Voldemort himself couldn't sneak into the Ministry to acquire it, he has worked relentlessly to have Harry come and fetch it for him. Once Malfoy said this, Mia snapped her gaze over to the prophecy, her eyes widening in realization.

 _The weapon. This is the weapon Voldemort desperately wants._

"Don't you want to know, Potter? All the secrets, all your questions can be answered at long last. All you have to do, is give me the prophecy, and I can show you," Malfoy said. Harry remained quiet as he glanced down at the prophecy in his hand.

"I've waited fourteen years," he muttered, his voice taking on more of a sad tone.

"I know, I know," Malfoy said, attempting to morph his face into a sympathetic expression. However, when Harry looked back over at him, his jaw was set and his eyes were like steel.

"I guess I can wait a little longer," he said. "NOW!"

Together as one, Mia, Harry and the others raised their wands high and yelled, _"Reducto!"_ Before the Death Eaters could react, a couple of the spells hit them while the others flew over and hit the surrounding shelves dead on, making them explode and instantly breaking the glass spheres, causing the shelves to sway. Mia sent a quick Stunning Spell over at the closest Death Eater standing by as Harry shouted for them all to run. They roughly pushed past the Death Eaters and then flew towards the end of the row, with Mia right behind Harry and raising her arm to cover her head as a torrent of wood and glass started raining down upon them. Every time a prophecy was smashed, silvery blue figures would escape from them and began muttering words, although with all the ruckus going on it would be impossible to hear them. There were yells of anger from behind them and Mia knew that it wouldn't take too long for the Death Eaters to catch up with them. When they reached the send of row ninety-seven Harry made a sharp left and up ahead Mia could see the door they had come through, slightly ajar, and hope began rising in her chest as they moved faster. If only they could just get through…

All of a sudden she heard a loud yelp and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see Luna, who had taken up the rear end of the line, fall to the ground. Without hesitation, Mia skidded to a halt and then went back raising her wand just as a Death Eater rounded the corner of row ninety-seven.

" _Rictusempra!"_ she yelled. Her spell hit the Death Eater right in the chest and the next thing she knew he was spinning backwards like a top and crashing into a nearby row of prophecies.

"Mia!" she heard Hermione call from up ahead.

"I'll get Luna, go on!" she called back as she bent down to take Luna's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Leg-locker curse," Luna mumbled, her teeth beginning to bleed from the harsh fall to the ground. In an instant Mia muttered the counter-curse and then pulled Luna back up to her feet so they could continue running. Up ahead she could see Neville going through the door that led into the previous room, with everyone else already on the inside.

"Mia, Luna, hurry!" Neville called. Mia pushed her legs faster and they were almost upon the door when she heard a loud voice shout an incantation from behind her. Within the next second Neville was forcefully pushed back and then the door was slammed shut just as Mia and Luna were within ten fete of it. Her heart dropping in her chest, Mia reached the door and tried to yank it open, but to no avail.

"Mia!" she heard Harry's muffled, horror-filled voice from the other end along with a thumping noise against the door. _"Mia!"_

"Harry! Guys, keep going!" Mia yelled.

"Get them!" another voice shouted. Mia looked around to see more of the Death Eater's coming their way, their wands raised. She took Luna's hand and hurriedly moved to the right, just narrowly avoiding a hex that was sent straight for their heads. She led them down another row of prophecies and fear was quickly started to eat at her mind. What are they going to do? As far as she knew, there is no other way out of the room. Once they reached the end of the row, Mia led them down another in a different direction, feeling as though they were in an infinite maze of sorts. She could hear the Death Eater's outraged yells behind them.

"Leave Nott, leave him, I say!" Malfoy hollered. "The Dark Lord will care not for his injuries as much as losing the prophecy—Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! At least two of those brats are still in here somewhere, we'll need to split up. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left, Crabbe, Rabastan, go right—Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead—Mcnair, Avery, through here—Rookwood, you and him over there—Mulciber, you come with me! Remember, be gentle with Potter if you find him until we've got the prophecy—kill the others if necessary."

"Mia?" Luna said, her normal dreamy eyes tainted with a bit of fear.

"It'll be all right, Luna," Mia whispered. "We have to keep moving, we have to find a way out of here."

Mia and Luna continued making their way quickly yet silently through the rows, with Mia keeping an eye and ear out for any of the Death Eaters while trying to figure out another way out of there. They kept at it for some time, just wandering around as quiet as possible through the bitter darkness and the soft light of the blue candles, doing their best to avoid being seen. After a little while, Mia felt Luna grasp her arm and squeeze it softly. Looking back at her, Mia gave a questioning look as Luna pointed through the gap in between shelves and when Mia followed her gesture she nearly melted with relief upon seeing a door just around the bend and up to nearest isle. She was sure it was a different one, for the markings around the edges were different and the handle on this door was bronze instead of silver. Mia nodded and gave an encouraging smile to Luna before moving towards the end of the row and cautiously sticking her head out. At that moment she felt Luna grab a hold of her robes and yank her back just as a bright red beam of light went flying by, hitting the end of the shelf where her head was seconds earlier.

"I found them!" a hoarse male voice shouted. "There's two of them over here!"

"Bat-Boogey and Full-Body Bind on three," Mia said to Luna. "One—two—three!"

Moving together, the two girl jumped out from behind the shelf and yelled their spells at the two approaching Death Eaters. Luna was able to cast a brilliant Bat Boogey hex on the man standing to the left and before he knew it, he was being viciously attacked by his own snot, crying out as he tried batting them away, all the while knocking into a nearby shelf and causing more prophecies to crash onto the ground. With one wave of her wand Mia was able to make the second man' arms and legs snap together and fall backwards quite dramatically.

"Well done, Mia" Luna praised with a smile. "We should probably get going now."

"Yeah, let's—ARGH!" Mia screamed as she suddenly felt an intense, burning pain in her arm as a fiery flame shot towards them and singed her clothes, eating away at them and scorching her skin. The Death Eater who was battling the Boogey Bats was still capable enough to attack them, and he sent another spell at Luna, which made her fall backwards into the shelf. Gritting her teeth in pain, Mia managed to point her wand at the ground below the Death Eater's feet and yell, _"Aqua Erecto Freza!"_ The Death Eater was soon losing his footing on the quickly-formed ice beneath his shoes and then went crashing into the ground, the Boogey Bats still attacking him.

"Luna, are you okay?" Mia asked.

"I'm all right," she replied, standing to her feet. "Are you?"

"I'm fine, it's just a small burn," Mia mumbled, hissing as she tried to move her arm. "Come on, we have to get back to the others—"

"Dolohov, this way!" another voice called from close by.

"Come on!" Mia urged, keeping her arm close to her chest as she and Luna ran out of the row and headed straight for the door just as the same voice shouted, "There they are!" Luna reached the door first and managed to pulled it open, ushering Mia inside. As soon as it was shut behind them, Luna cast a spell that would make the door difficult to open and turned back to Mia.

"I wonder where we are now?" Luna mused. Mia stared around to see that they were now in an unfamiliar room. It wasn't quite as big as the one they were just in, but still just as peculiar. The room was filled completely with grandfather clocks of all different sizes and shapes, made of silver, gold, or glass, all ticking away. This room was much brighter, so much that the drastic change hurt Mia's eyes and the light was coming from the many chandeliers above them, all made of very fine crystal and reflecting each other's light in rainbow colors against the walls.

"Pretty," Luna noted serenely. "But there are four doors this time…"

Unfortunately, she was right. Besides the door they had just come through, there were three other ones around the room—one right ahead of them, one to the left and one to the right. Mia looked at each one with a worried expression. Whish one should they go through? Which one would lead them back to the others? Horribly concerned thought of the others were swelling in her mind and she tried to keep her panic under control with great difficulty. Malfoy said they would only keep Harry alive until they have the prophecy…he said they'd kill the others if they found them. Mia didn't have long at all to ponder over this because the door Luna had sealed behind them suddenly blasted open with such force that it completely exploded, bits of wood flying everywhere and the girls—being not far from it—were thrown off their feet and both of them crashed into the closest set of clocks. Mia cried out in pain as she landed on her burnt arm and the clock she fell into was a glass one, so tiny bits of glass were cut into her hand when she tried to break her fall. Two more Death Eaters came charging through and they had their wands pointed at Mia and Luna before she could even think about raising her own. Mia moved closer to Luna and tried her best to move in front of her, attempting to block her from the end of the wands, her breathing coming out faster.

"Potter's not here," the one with the hoarse voice sneered. "Just these two."

"Then obviously they are no use to us," the other said, his voice much deeper and filled with malicious glee. "We might as well get it on with and move on…oh, how I do love shedding little girl's blood."

Mia stared fearfully at his wand as the Death Eater rose it even higher and she braced herself for whatever was about to happen. However, before the Death eater could utter a single word, to door to the right burst open and a jet of red light came shooting in, hitting the Death Eater and sending him to the floor with a grunt, where he lay motionless. The second Death Eater turned his attention towards the door and when Mia looked over, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Running through the door was none other than Sirius, with Remus Lupin and Tonks close behind.

"Get away from them," Sirius snarled. _"Stupefy!"_

The stunner hit tis mark and the Death Eater quickly fell to the floor with a loud thump beside the other one, unmoving.

"Very nice, dear cousin," Tonks praised.

"It wouldn't do good to inflate his head, Tonks," Remus advised as he kicked the Death Eater's wands out of their hands.

"Mia," Sirius said as he hurried over and took hold of her arms, pulling her to her feet. To her immense surprise, he pulled her in for a tight, yet brief hug while Tonks helped Luna to her feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

"Yes," Mia breathed, overwhelmingly happy to see him. "Sirius—thank God, you're okay!"

"Well of course he's okay!" snapped an irritated, gruff voice, and Mia looked over to see Mad-Eye Moody strolling through the door as well with Kingsley, looking quite angry. "You foolish children! What in Merlin's name were you all thinking?! Where are the others?!"

"We got separated," Mia replied. "In the Room of Prophecies—"

"What?!" Moody snapped. "Do they have it?"

"No, Harry wouldn't give it to them—"

"Damn it all!" Moody grumbled, immediately limping over towards the door right ahead. "There's no telling how many filthy Death Eaters are here, we'll be lucky if we can keep it out of their hands now!"

"Mia, who else is here?" Remus asked.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville," she answered. "And at least ten Death Eaters."

"Just marvelous," she heard Moody grunt.

"Tonks, take the girls out of here, they need medical treatment," Sirius said.

"What?" Mia said. "No, I'm coming with you!"

"This is not up for discussion Mia," Sirius stated firmly.

"I'm not leaving until I find the others," Mia argued back. "Malfoy said they'd kill them all once they have the prophecy!"

"We're wasting time, people!" Moody yelled over his shoulder as he walked through the door. "Move it!"

"They may be safer with us," Tonks said. Sirius looked from her to Mia's determined face and sighed deeply, running his hand through his hair. He fixed Mia with a stern yet concerned gaze.

"You stay close to me," he ordered. "The minute we find Harry and the others, you take them and go. Do you understand?"

Mia nodded her head while Moody's voice called for them all to hurry up. Sirius took Mia's shoulder and guided her through the door after Kingsley, with Remus and Luna following. They found themselves in the circular room with the many doors surrounding them. Once Tonks closed the door after them, the doors started spinning once more until they finally stopped, with Hermione's bright red "X's" glaring at them. Kingsley held his wand out in his palm, muttered something under his breath, and then his wand slowly started rotating in his hand until it pointed over to the door that was closest to Moody, one that had an "X" on it.

"Of course they would be in there," Moody said. "Get ready!"

Without another word, Moody forced the door open with his wand and they all went charging inside. Mia stuck close to Sirius' side as they entered, and she saw that they were once again back in the room that had the giant stone archway in the middle of the sunken floor. Looking down, she saw that There were a bunch of Death Eaters there, surrounding two figures that she recognized instantly as Harry and Neville, the two of them looking worse for wear. Neville's nose looked to be badly broken, with blood dripping down his face and a bruise forming on his cheek. Harry's robes were a little torn and had cuts on his face, but otherwise, they looked to be all right. Harry still had the prophecy clutched tightly in his hand, although Malfoy seemed to be closing in on him, his wand pointed directly between his eyes and his hand stretching out towards him. Mia saw Sirius send a heated glare towards Malfoy and in the next moment, he disappeared from view and then reappeared right beside Malfoy, who jumped in surprise.

"Get away from my godson!" Sirius said as he drew his fist back and punched Malfoy with all his strength.

 _"Stupefy!"_ Tonks yelled, aiming a well-placed stunner at one of the Death Eaters while they all hurried down towards the dais, throwing themselves into the battle.

"Harry!" Mia called as she and Luna jumped down the stone benches. "Neville!"

"Mia!" Harry said, going over to meet her just as she reached the bottom. He quickly gathered her in his arms and hugged her fiercely, but quickly withdrew when Mia hissed from the pain in her arm.

"What happened?" he asked in worry.

"She got burned back in the Room of Prophecies," Luna explained. "But she fought back rather impressively."

"I'm fine," Mia insisted as Sirius came over to them and pushed their heads down.

"Get down!" he said as a green jet of light went flying over them. "Harry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right," Harry assured him.

"Listen to me, I want you to take the others and get out of here," Sirius told him.

"What? No, Sirius, I'm staying with you—"

"You've done beautifully, Harry," Sirius said, something similar to admiration mixed in with the worry in his eyes. "Now let me take it from here—"

"Black!" Malfoy snarled as he staggered to his feet, with a bruise already starting to take shape on his face as he raised his wand.

"Go, now!" Sirius said as he raced forward to engage Malfoy in a duel.

"Come on," Harry said, taking Mia's hand and leading them all over to the steps that would lead back to the door. The room was filled with the sounds of shouts and yells, spells flying this way and that and even some colliding with one another and creating small explosions. The stone bench that was near them was blasted into pieces and Mia had to cover her mouth so as not to inhale the dust that came from it.

"Where is everyone?" Luna asked Neville.

"We gob seberated," Neville spoke through his broken nose. "Herbione's unconscious bud I dink she's okay, bud Ginny hurt her ankle, and Ron was hit wit a weird spell…"

"We have to find them and get out of here," Harry said. "We just—"

Another bench beside them exploded, this one much more fierce, and they found themselves being thrown backwards into the other benches. Luna lost her footing and started rolling down the stairs again, with Neville hurrying after her. While this was going in, Mia saw something shift out of the corner of her eyes, and she lifted herself up enough to see that there was a Death Eater who was edging along the shadows, hiding out of sight, but was now heading over towards Harry, who was attempting to stand back up, his face twisted in pain. The Death Eater had his wand out, and before he could have the chance to curse him, Mia grabbed her own wand tightly in her hand and aimed it at him.

 _"Stupefy!"_ she screamed. The Death Eater went soaring backwards, his body colliding with every bench as he made his way down to the ground floor. Just as he hit the ground, there was another one coming up the steps towards them, but Neville stopped him by stunning him as well, although not fast enough for the Death Eater to cast his own spell, which was zooming over towards Mia. She didn't have enough time to react, but she felt a heavy force colliding with her, tackling her to the ground in time for the spell to miss her, and she looked up to see Harry had flung himself on top of her, holding her securely in his arms. It was then that Mia realized that he no longer had the prophecy in his hands and before she could ask there was the sound of breaking glass. The two of them looked over to see a small pile of glass shards on the level below them. From these shards came a pearly white figure with magnified eyes, staring at them. The lips of the figure began moving, but with all the chaos going on around them, they couldn't hear what was being said. Once it was done speaking, the figure vanished from sight, disappearing in a wisp of cloud. Mia gazed down at the broken ball, realizing Harry must have dropped it to save her from that spell.

"The prophecy," Mia mumbled.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said as he looked at her, using one of his hands to trace her cheek. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Mia said. The two of them got back to their feet and went down to where Neville was bent over Luna, who was lying still.

"I dink she hit her head," Neville said as they reached him. "She wont wake ub."

"We'll have to try and carry her," Harry said. "I'll take her legs, and—"

"Dumbledore," Neville breathed, looking past them wide-eyed.

"What?"

 _"Dumbledore!"_

Mia whipped her head around to see that indeed, standing in the door frame to one of the doors above, was Dumbledore. His face was pale, his blue eyes fierce and his expression furious as he gazed down at the scene before him. Moving as quick as a flash, he ran down the steps in a blur, his white hair trailing behind him and rushing past Mia and the others to join the fray. Mia felt as though a heavy weight was lifted and she could have almost laughed in relief, feeling much safer than she was a few minutes ago. Dumbledore's here…everything will be okay. Dumbledore's arrival instantly had an impact—several of the Death Eaters close by yelled out in fright and shock. One of them, who had just attacked Tonks and left her motionless on the floor, tried making a run for it up the opposite set of stairs, but Dumbledore managed to yank him and pull him back with his wand as though he were reeling in a fish. Much of the fighting dies down immediately, although there was still one couple who were dueling.

Sirius, having stopped his duel with Malfoy at some point, was now fighting his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. The two of them were going at it on the dais, moving so swiftly their wands were nothing but a blur, firing curse after curse at each other, dodging and attacking with everything they had. Bellatrix sent a jet of red light at him, which Sirius easily dodged, and he laughed at her.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he taunted her.

At that moment, Bellatrix's face morphed into something that made fear cut into Mia's heart like a knife made out of ice. The woman's face twisted into an enraged, but smug, twisted smile that sent shivers down her spine. There was a malicious gleam in her dark eyes, and the aura that surrounded her could be described as nothing but murderous. Mia felt the horror rise within her at this expression—she had seen it once before. Last year, when Moody's imposter had her tied to the chair, she remembered the deranged, dangerous and lethal look as clear as day. The look of someone who was about to go in for the kill. It was the same one Bellatrix currently wore. Without really thinking about it, Mia darted forward towards the dais, running up the few steps leading up onto its surface just as Bellatrix changed her stance to an offensive one, snapping her wand arm out like a whip, her eyes alight with gleeful excitement.

 _"AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

 _"PROTEGO!"_

Mia poured every ounce of her energy into her incantation, willing it to work. Her shield charm took full shape and formed a protective sphere around Sirius half a second before the Killing Curse reached him. The blinding spark of green light hit the shield with such force it made Sirius fall back, mere feet away from the archway itself, and the curse was hurled back at Bellatrix, who shrieked in surprise before dodging it just in time. The curse hit the bit of stone flooring where she had been standing, creating a scorch mark. She let out a breathless noise, thanking God that Sirius was okay. Her relief didn't last long though, for at that moment, Bellatrix turned to face her and the expression that had struck fear into her heart was now being directed at her.

"You," Bellatrix whispered, her cold, calming tone making Mia quiver. "You filthy little Mudblood bitch…you will pay for that. Oh, I will make sure you pay _dearly._ "

 _"Mia, no!"_ Harry yelled from somewhere behind her, his voice terror-stricken. Before anyone could do or say anything, Bellatrix bared down upon Mia, her movements so fast Mia was sure Bellatrix didn't stop to take a breath, even as she screamed out the words.

 _"_ _Reducto! Incendio Tria! Bombarda Maxima!"_

It was as though it had all happened in slow motion. Mia raised her wand to try and block to swift onslaught of attacks, but she wasn't fast enough. The _Reducto_ spell hit her first, making her gasp as she felt more than one bone break in her body and the air was effectively stolen from her, as if a powerful wrecking ball hit her right in her stomach, twisting around her insides to the point where it was unbearable. Next was the fire…the terrible burst of flame that erupted from Bellatrix's wand, much bigger than anything Mia had ever seen, engulfing her for mere seconds, but enough to do damage as she felt the fire tear through her clothes, singe her hair and she screamed in agony as the flame licked her bare hands, making her drop her wand. Finally, the _Bombarda Maxima_ sent her off her feet, smacking into her as though she were punched straight through a brick wall, and Mia screamed even louder, her mind filled with the unbearable pain in and out of her body. She kept screaming as the force of the blast made her soar through the air and the next thing she knew, she crashed into one of the stone benches and started rolling down, down, down the steps…

 _"NOOOOOO! MIAAAA!"_

Mia landed on the floor on her side and she heard something else crack, making her gasp as the final flare of pain shot through her body. She laid there silently, her body twisted in an odd position and every muscle screaming in terrible agony, although she could not voice it out herself. She found that she couldn't move an inch, the stinging from the burns and the horrible pressure on her stomach keeping her from doing so. She could feel something warm and wet roll down the side of her head and she whimpered as it started falling into her eyes. She wasn't sure what it was, only that it was a dark red color. It was then that she noticed the pain in her head, and it was made even worse by the screams, hollers and sounds of fighting going on around her. There was an odd ringing in her ears as well, making the noises fade in and out and she was starting to lose the feeling in her legs.

 _"No, Mia! MIA!"_

"Neville no, stay down! Sirius, don't—"

"BELLATRIX! HOW _DARE_ YOU?!"

Mia whimpered again as the screams made her head split right open and she started crying as she felt her legs go cold and the substance running down her face getting thicker. Just then, she heard hurried footsteps come over towards her and then someone was taking hold of her shoulders, lifting her up slighting and she cried out, the pain ripping through her.

"Mia!" came a choked out voice from above her. "No, oh God, please no…"

"Harry," she whimpered, her tears doubling through the blood. "Harry…"

"Shh, don't talk love, you're going to be okay," Harry said, holding her closer to him. "Just hold on…hold on for me…Remus! REMUS! Please, help! Help!"

Mia tried to look up into his face, but the blood made him come out blurry and she wanted more than anything to hold him as well, but the numb feeling was starting to spread from her legs to her mid-section, and the pain was beginning to fade a bit. A strange sort of tiredness came over her, but she fought against it, wanting to stay here with Harry. However the pain was becoming too much for her to handle, and her eyes began fluttering.

" _No!_ " Harry said sharply, giving Mia a little shake. "Don't close your eyes! Mia, don't you dare close your eyes on me!"

"Hurts," Mia managed to cry. "Hurts…so…bad…cold…"

"I know love, I know, we'll get you some help," Harry assured her, but Mia could still distinguish the sobs in his voice, and she thought she felt something wet drop onto her cheek. "You have to stay awake though. You have to stay with me, do you hear? You have to stay with me!"

There was an unbearable weight pressing down on her chest, as if she were laying under boulders, making it feel as though her heart was constricted. Her vision was beginning to darken and she started panicking, her tears falling more freely. She has to see him, she has to! Please, just let her see him! The noises around her were falling silent and her body was so heavy. So heavy…

"Mia, please," Harry cried. "Please…"

 _"Harry…"_

With that breathless whisper, Mia let her eyes close and her body sagged as she fell into darkness and silence, her mind filled with the memory of bright green orbs.

 ***Slowly lifts head out from behind couch/defensive fort, shaking in fear and waving little white flag***

 **Umm…well…hi? Okay, I know that this is the most awful place to leave a chapter, but don't worry, the next one is already in the works, so hopefully I'll have it up soon. I'll just continue to hide behind here until then because I'm pretty sure I'm going to have an angry mob come after me once I post this. I love you all and I'll see you in the next chapter soon.**

 ***Slowly sinks back behind the couch/defensive fort***


	23. A Broken Heart

**Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Broken Heart

HarryPov

"Mia!" Harry said loudly, giving the girl in his arms another shake, trying to get her to open her eyes. _"MIA!"_

But Mia didn't open her eyes, nor made any sort of indication that she heard him at all. Her body lay completely still and heavy, broken and bleeding, and so very pale. Harry traced her cheek with his fingers and flinched at the lack of warmth, his heart feeling as though it had been blasted by the Killing Curse, completely snuffed of life. He called her name again, shaking her shoulders a bit more roughly, trying to get some sort of reaction out of her, but to no avail. A horrible, terrible realization was settling upon him but he wouldn't acknowledge it…he couldn't. She just fainted, that's all. She will be out of it for a while, but she's all right. Mia was tough, one of the toughest people he'd ever met. If only she would open her eyes, just the slightest bit, so he could be reassured.

"Mia, wake up," Harry pleaded, hot tears continuing to fall down his face. "Dammit Mia, wake up!"

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing. Harry started shaking his head, repeating "no," over and over again. With tender care, Harry raised her up a little and bent his head down so he could press his head against her chest, hoping, praying. He strained his ears, desperate for that familiar thumping sound despite the loud noises that were still going on around him, making it difficult. Something dark and cold washed over him when he failed to pick up the lively sound of a beating heart, spreading through his body from head to foot, leaving him numb and almost void of breath. Looking over her injuries, he could tell right off the bat that her one leg was broken, her shirt lifted up a little to reveal a quickly forming bruise that was turning black, and the gash on her head was still bleeding. Harry slowly raised his head from her chest, feeling as though a dementor had sucked the very soul out of him. With a shaking hand, he cupped Mia's face, the tears still falling down his face.

"No," he whispered, his voice as broken as his spirit. "No…"

"Harry…"

Harry felt a hand place itself on his shoulder but he barely even acknowledged it, continuing to gaze down at Mia's pale face. He was suddenly snapped out of his trance when the person next to him tried to make him let go of her.

"No!" Harry protested, holding her tighter.

"Harry, there's nothing you can do," Lupin's small, quivering voice said.

"She's just fainted," Harry said, shaking his head again. "She needs help, we have to get her to a hospital."

"Harry, I'm so sorry…she's—"

"SHE'S NOT DEAD!" Harry bellowed, trying to push Lupin away with his free hand. _"SHE'S NOT DEAD!"_

Despite his efforts, Harry's grip on Mia seemed to loosen quite a bit and Lupin was finally able to pry Harry's lifeless fingers away, gently laying Mia back down on the floor. Harry just stared down at her, the entire world around him going dark and the figures around him transforming into nothing but mindless blurred shapes. The sight of her caused an unimaginable pain to tear right through his chest, making him feel so helpless, so weak, so _empty._ Why wouldn't she wake up? She would never make him worry so much, she would do what she could to let him know she was all right.

 _She wouldn't make me worry so much…Mia would never make me this scared. If she won't respond to me…if she can't hear me…if—if I can't hear her heart…_

With his breath coming out in short, sharp gasps, Harry reached out for Mia's cold hand, squeezing it tightly, and then he let out a shrill, pain-filled scream that echoed in his ears. He hunched himself over her, only one thing going through his mind: _She's gone._

Someone else had come over to stand by him, by he didn't care who it was, nor could he register what they were saying. To him, it didn't matter…nothing mattered anymore. From the corner of his eye he could just make out Dumbledore rounding up the last of the Death Eaters in the middle of the room, but then there was a sudden flash of light and a yell of pain. Harry's had snapped up to see Sirius falling to the ground, clutching his side, and Bellatrix Lestrange making a run up the stairs. Dumbledore whipped around and tried to send a spell at her, but she managed to deflect it and make it up to the top of the stairs, cackling madly in triumph.

 _"I killed the Mudblood! I killed the Mudblood!"_ she sang gleefully as she headed for the closest door.

"Harry, no!" Lupin said, but Harry tore himself free of him as he stood to his feet as quick as a flash. In that instant, a new emotion was spreading through his veins like wildfire, setting his shattered heart ablaze: _Rage._ Pure, lethal, all-consuming rage and hate was swirling inside of him, making his eyes darken and his expression turn hideous as he grasped his wand tightly, his jaw set and a fury such as he had never known taking control, leaving no room for reason or logic.

"SHE KILLED MIA!" he roared. "SHE KILLED HER—I'LL KILL HER!"

Then Harry was off, racing after Bellatrix up the stairs, breathing heavily and ignoring the calls for him to stop. He was up the stairs in a matter of seconds and shoving himself through the door Bellatrix had disappeared through. He found himself once again in the brain room, and he could see Bellatrix yanking open the door on the other side. Before she went through, however, she cast a spell over at the tank holding the brains, causing it to tip over. The disgusting liquid ran all over the floor, and the brains, finally free, started going after Harry.

 _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ he yelled, and with a simple flick, he moved the brains away from him and continued on after Bellatrix. He hurried through the second door and entered the circular hallway with the many doors around him. Looking over, he saw Bellatrix standing just behind one of the doors, and Harry could see that it led into the hallway with the lifts. She grinned wickedly at him before slamming the door shut and making the doors begin their swift rotation again.

"No!" Harry shouted. "Where's the exit?! Where's the way out?!"

Then, as if the room had been waiting for him to ask, the door came to a sudden halt and the one directly in front of him opened immediately. Wasting no time, Harry darted through the door and he was back into the hall with the many different lifts. Up ahead, he could see one of the lifts making its way upwards to the higher levels and he growled as he rushed over to the nearest one, forcefully shoving the gates open and punching the button for the level that would take him up to the Atrium. As the lift moved upwards, Harry panted where he stood, seeing nothing but red and his blood set aflame in his body, wanting to rip something to shreds, to strangle, to kill.

 _She killed her,_ he thought to himself in a furious agony. _She took Mia away from me…she's going to die!_

It felt like eternity for the lift to finally reach its destination but once it did, Harry wrenched the gates open and jumped out to see that Bellatrix was already close to halfway down the Atrium, heading down towards the telephone box lift that would take her up to the surface. With an infuriated "NO!" Harry bolted forward, the floor flying out from underneath him as he gave chase, his heart hammering in his chest. She's not going to get away! He won't let her! Just then, Bellatrix turned around and raised her wand at him. Harry was able to quickly duck behind the golden fountain just in time to avoid Bellatrix's hex as it missed him by mere inches and zoomed past to hit the gates of the lift at the other end of the hall.

"Come out, come out, little Potter!" Bellatrix called, still using her mocking baby voice. "What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge your little girlfriend?"

"I am!" Harry yelled viciously, his voice echoing throughout the Atrium.

"Awwww," Bellatrix cooed. "Did you _love_ her, baby Potter?"

 _"CRUCIO!"_

Bellatrix's mocking stopped instantly and a sharp, surprised scream escaped her as she fell backwards onto the floor, her body giving a violent shake that only lasted a few seconds before she became still and silent, breathing heavily. Harry, who had jumped out from behind the fountain to cast the curse, continued pointing his wand at her even though shock was mixing in with his anger. However he had to duck back behind the fountain again as Bellatrix got back to her feet and sent a hex at him, which missed and took of the head of the golden wizard statue.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix breathed. "Look at the baby all grown up. You may be able to cast the spell, boy, but that's not good enough. You have to _mean_ it, Potter, to make it last longer. You need to truly _want_ to cause pain, to take _pleasure_ in it. It's of no use if it will only last for a few seconds. Perhaps I'll give you a lesson."

Bellatrix aimed the Cruciatus Curse at him but Harry managed to dodge it, taking cover directly behind the statue of the Centaur.

"You cannot win against me, Potter!" Bellatrix screamed. "Give me the Prophecy now, and I may just spare your life!"

"You're going to have to kill me then, because it's _gone!_ " Harry yelled back to her. The instant the words left his mouth, his scar broke out into a severe burning pain that had him grunting, placing his hand over it as he scrunched his eyes. The pain was throbbing through his brain and he felt a sudden surge of rage that compared to his own.

"And he knows!" Harry shouted. "Your dear old pal Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be happy with you, is he?"

"What?" gasped Bellatrix and Harry felt immense satisfaction in hearing the fear in her voice. "No...you're lying! YOU'RE LYING! ACCIO PROPHECY! _ACCIO PROPHECY!"_

"There's nothing here!" Harry said, the pain in his head building to a point where he was sure his skull was going to split in two. "It got smashed in the room with the archway, and no one was able to hear what it said!"

"NO!" Bellatrix hollered. "MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED! DON'T PUNISH ME—"

"Don't bother, he can't hear you from here!" said Harry.

"Can't I, Potter?" whispered a high, cold voice that made a terrible shiver go up Harry's spine and made him snap his eyes back open. Standing in the middle of the hall, black-hooded, tall and so very pale, his snake-like face twisted into a deep scowl and his red eyes glaring daggers at Harry, was none other than Lord Voldemort himself, pointing his wand directly at Harry's heart. Harry found that he couldn't move a muscle, just staring straight into those soulless eyes.

"So, you smashed my prophecy?" Voldemort said in a tone of deadly calm. "No, Bella, he is not lying. So much time, so much preparation…and my Death Eaters have allowed this boy to thwart me once again."

"Master, I am sorry, I knew not," Bellatrix pleaded. "But Master—he is here—down below…"

"Silence, Bella! I shall deal with you later!" Voldemort snapped in a dangerous voice, moving slowly towards Harry. "I have nothing more to say to you, Potter. You have angered me for the last time… _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry could nothing as the Killing Curse was sent towards him, but before it could hit its mark, the now headless statue of the wizard sprung to life and landed in between Harry and Voldemort. The Killing Curse bounced right off of him and he flung his arms out to shield Harry. Voldemort gave a bewildered look of confusion before he turned his sight off to the side and his scowl transformed into a sneer. Harry followed his line of sight as saw that Dumbledore had appeared, setting his twinkling blue eyes on Voldemort with such serene calm. He flicked his wand and then the rest of the statues in the fountain came to life. The Centaur went o gallop by Dumbledore while the witch flew into the air and effectively pinned Bellatrix down to the floor. The elf and the goblin took their places along the fireplaces set into the wall, bracing themselves to stop anyone from leaving. All the while Dumbledore walked over towards Voldemort, his eyes never leaving his face.

"It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom," Dumbledore said softly. "The Aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone, and you shall be dead!" Voldemort snarled. Before another word was said, Voldemort sent a Killing Curse at Dumbledore, who was able to block it. Dumbledore then waved his wand around and sent a silent, colorless spell at Voldemort, forcing him to create a silver, orb-like shield around him and when Dumbledore's spell hit it, it made a strange sound that echoed off of the walls, like a badly tuned instrument. Voldemort glared at Dumbledore, yelling how he refused to kill him even now, creating less lethal spells than having the courage to do what needed to be done. In response to this, Dumbledore merely stated that there were other ways to break a man, and that taking his life would not give him an ounce of satisfaction. The dark wizard went on to yell that nothing was worse than death before he threw open his shield, extending its power until it rose up to the ceiling, breaking every single office window that was in its path, making it rain glass. Harry had to cover his head and close his eyes, still being guarded by the headless wizard as Dumbledore and Voldemort kept fighting. At the same time, Dumbledore and Voldemort raised their wands and short spells at each other, Dumbledore's a bright red and Voldemort's a dark green, and the spells met each other in the middle, fizzing and sparking like electric fuses, each one trying to push the other back.

Dumbledore stepped forward, his own spell starting to make Voldemort's give way, and, seeing this, Voldemort retracted his spell and then brought his hand to his mouth. In a matter of seconds, he seemed to breathe out fire that rose up to at least ten feet tall and started to take shape. In no time there was a gigantic serpent slithering its fiery form across the floor, the flames crackling, the snake hissing and Voldemort letting out a cackling burst of laughter. The snake reared up, ready to strike down upon Dumbledore, but the headmaster waved his wand in front of him in a zigzag motion, and the snake let out a shrill cry as it turned into black smoke, disintegrating into thin air. With an angry growl, Voldemort captured the smoke with his wand and sent it straight at Dumbledore, forcing it to take more of a solid shape and pelt themselves like tiny bullets. Dumbledore created a shield of his own to keep the pellets at bay and when they were gone, he raised his wand towards the pool of water where the statues used to reside and bended the water to fall out of the pool and encase Voldemort on a giant sphere. Dumbledore held Voldemort inside the sphere of water, the black-robed wizard fighting for his way out, clawing at the water with his hands. Then, Voldemort suddenly vanished from sight, disappearing from the sphere and once he was gone, the ball of water lost its form and crashed into the floor. It was silent as Harry looked around, seeing no sign of Voldemort anywhere. Sure that he must have admitted defeat and fled the scene, he tried going around the wizard statue to walk over to Dumbledore.

"Harry, stay back!" Dumbledore said, and Harry was surprised at the sudden fear in his headmaster's voice. Why was Dumbledore afraid? Voldemort was gone, there was nothing to worry about now…

"ARGH!"

Harry's scar burst open and the gut-wrenching, head-splitting, impossible pain he was experiencing was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, twitching and thrashing as he groaned, feeling as though something cold and hard was wrapping around his body, constricting him. Somehow, someway, he could _feel_ him. He was inside, trying to take over, to consume him. Harry could almost hear his maniacal laugh, taunting him for his weakness and vulnerability. He could see flashes of memories pouring from his brain, painful memories. Harry could see Cedric's lifeless body hitting the ground, the dementors attacking him in Little Whinging, seeing the bloody words carved into Mia's skin…

 _"Kill me now, Dumbledore,"_ Harry spoke out, in a voice that wasn't his own. _"If death is nothing, then sacrifice the boy, and kill me now."_

Those terrible memories continued to flash in Harry's head and he yelled again, wanting nothing more than for it to stop. He would give anything, anything, for Dumbledore to just finish it, and get it over with. Death was nothing compared to this terrible pain.

 _And I'll see Mia again…_

Through all the agony he was currently in, Harry could suddenly see her so clearly in his mind. He could see her beautiful smile as they walked down the corridor at school with their friends, hear her voice as she cheered him on during a Quidditch game, and feel her warmth as she hugged him tightly out on the grounds of Hogwarts, promising him she'll always be there for him. As his heart filled itself with such powerful emotion it brought tears to his eyes, he could almost hear an anguished scream from inside his head and then the constricting coils that were around his body loosened and the pain was now gone, evaporating quickly from his body. Harry gasped as his eyes snapped open, and he found himself lying on his back, gazing up towards the ceiling. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he caught sight of Dumbledore, who had kneeled down beside him and was staring down at him with concern shining in his eyes.

Just then, there was the sound of many voices being heard, much too many than expected, and they were all talking over each other in fearful, astonished tones. His body feeling heavy, Harry slowly sat up and got back up on his feet with Dumbledore's help, the old wizard, keeping a hand on his arm to hold him steady.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry only nodded, not finding it in himself to speak at the moment. Instead, he looked around to see that the Atrium was now filled with witches and wizards coming out of the fireplaces along the walls, accompanied by the gold elf and goblin. Many of them were still in their night clothes, including the Minister of Magic himself, wearing his bedtime robes and a night cap on top of his head. He was gaping over at a pile of broken statue fragments, his eyes wide with horror and his face as pale as snow.

"Minister, it was him!" another wizard dressed in scarlet robes exclaimed. "It was You-Know-Who! I saw him! He grabbed a woman and disappeared!"

"Yes I know, Williamson, I saw him too!" Fudge gawked, gasping heavily. "How—how can—here— _here—_ in the Ministry—"

"If you proceed downstairs to the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, walking over towards Fudge now that he was assured Harry was all right. "You will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapperation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them."

"Dumbledore!" said Fudge, his eyes nearly coming out of his sockets. "You—I—I—seize him, immediately!"

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men and win again!" Dumbledore warned, his blue eyes shining fiercely in his anger. "But a few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong men for twelve months, and due to such oblivious actions from all around, I have lost yet _another_ student tonight!"

"Lost another—what—" Fudge mumbled. "Dumbledore you need to tell me exactly what happened here!"

"We can discuss that after I have sent Harry back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore stated, going over to pick up the head of the wizard statue.

"Harry—Harry Potter?!" Fudge said in shock, spinning around to look at Harry as though this was the first time he noticed his presence.

"You will give the Order to remove Delores Umbridge from Hogwarts," Dumbledore said as he tapped the golden head with his wand, turning it a soft, bluish hue. "You will tell your Aurors to stop searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so that he can return to work. I will give you exactly a half hour of my time tonight to explain what has happened here tonight. After that, I will need to return to my school. If you need more help from me you are, of course, more than welcome to contact me t Hogwarts. Letters addressed to the headmaster will find me."

Fudge continued gibbering with a flushed face but Dumbledore paid no mind as he strode back over to Harry, who was standing completely still where Dumbledore had left him, his mind blank and his limbs numb.

"Take this Portkey, Harry," Dumbledore instructed gently. "I shall see you in a half hour."

Still not quite able to speak, Harry took the head into his hands, just staring down at it for a few seconds, and before he knew it, he felt a familiar, uncomfortable tug at his navel and he was spinning through the air, his hands glued to the head and he shut his eyes tight, willing it to be over. The whirlwind of color and sound ceased after a few more seconds as Harry felt his feet slam firmly into solid ground once again and when he had his balance, he opened his eyes to see that the Portkey had taken him to Dumbledore's office, which was lit only by the candles and few torches that hung along the wall, and the lamps scattered here and there on the many small tables. The portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses were all sleeping in their frames, snoring and humming without a care in the world. Looking out towards the window, Harry was able to see that there was a faint green line hovering towards the horizon…dawn was approaching. Had the time really gone by that fast? It only seemed like no more than an hour ago he was riding off on a Thestral towards London with—

 _No…_

All of a sudden Harry found it very hard to breathe and his heart took on a much more painful thumping in his chest, each beat causing nerve pain to the rest of his body. The silence in the office unnerved him and it was more than he could handle. He began pacing, his hands clenched into fists at his side as he mind started racing faster than he could keep track of. He didn't want to think—he couldn't. Thinking would drive him made, make him crumble but the silence left nothing for him except his own thoughts.

 _"Harry, just listen, please…Let's just check to make sure, to make absolutely sure that Sirius is okay… I swear to you, if Sirius is not home, I'll go with you to the Ministry to save him without a second thought…_ _Harry, wait, don't touch that! It could be dangerous…"_

It's his fault. It's all his fault. He was stupid enough to fall for Voldemort's trick and foolishly believed his dream was real! How could he have been so thick not to realize it was a trap?! He should have really made sure Sirius wasn't home before dragging everyone off to the Ministry like that! Mia followed him with blind faith that he knew what he was doing, and she asked him—no, begged him—not to touch the prophecy, but he did it anyway. Because of him, he led people he cared about on a dangerous, life-threatening mission, falling right into Voldemort's hands, and Mia… _Mia…_

Mia is dead. And it's all his fault.

"Ah..Harry Potter."

Harry looked around to see the portrait of Phineas Nigellus, a former Hogwarts Headmaster and, if Harry remembered right, Sirius' great-great-grandfather. He gave a yawn in his portrait and stared down at Harry with Narrowed eyes.

"And what brings you here at this time in the morning?" he asked shrewdly. "This office is supposed to be sealed off to only the rightful headmaster. Unless, Dumbledore has sent you here? Or am I to send another message to my worthless great-great-grandson?"

"Will Dumbledore be with us again, then?" asked another wizard with a red nose, sitting in his throne-like chair on a wall behind Dumbledore's desk. Harry could only nod, his throat too tight to speak.

"Good, very good, it was awfully dull around here without him," the wizard said happily, folding his hands on his stomach. "He thinks very highly of you, you know. Holds you in such high regards, and is very fond of you. Where is your one friend, boy? She's quite the character, I must say, I've never seen someone as stubborn as Archie."

"No respect at all," Archie grumbled sleepily from the left as more of the witches and wizards started to wake up as well. "Demanding to be let into the headmasters office, the nerve of these youths these days!"

"That was over a year ago Archie, give it a rest," a witch yawned in amusement. Harry, unable to bear any sort of mention of Mia right now, ignored them as he walked over to the door and grabbed onto the handle, not wanting to have to explain to them—or anyone—what has happened. Although, when he tried to turn the handle, it wouldn't budge. The door remained firmly shut, no matter how hard he tried, and he let out a frustrated grunt when he realized he was stuck in the office. He spent a little time absentmindedly gazing around at all the artifacts in the office, the little silver instruments and trinkets that rested upon the tables, and the thick, dusty volumes that covered the shelves. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recalled how amazed he and Mia were the first time they had set foot in Dumbledore's office together. That was back in second year, when Harry had been accused of attacking a student, and Mia had come along to defend him. She was always defending him, or "saving him," as Snape so delicately put it.

Harry wasn't sure how long he stood there lost in his own thoughts and memories. It could have been an eternity and he wouldn't have noticed. Yet some time later the fireplace in the corner of the room sprung to life with emerald green flames, and Dumbledore stepped out of them gracefully, moving across the hearth and into the room. All of the habitants in the portraits gave cheers and applause, giving him a warm, exhilarated welcome back. Dumbledore quietly thanked them all before setting his sights on Harry.

"Well, Harry," he said softly. "You will be pleased to know that Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger and the others have suffered no permanent injuries or lasting damage from tonight. Madame Pomfrey is patching everyone up now. Nymphadora Tonks may need to spend some time in St. Mungo's, but it seems she will make a full recovery. Alastor was able to help Sirius escape before Fudge and the Aurors made it down to the Department of Mysteries."

Harry wanted to say "Good," but he still couldn't find it in him to speak, so he just nodded at the carpet, avoiding Dumbledore's gaze, his hands shaking. Dumbledore, his face softly grave took a couple of steps forward.

"I know how you are feeling, Harry," he said, his tone laced with sympathy and deep regret.

"No," Harry countered, his voice surprisingly loud and sharp considering he has not spoken a word in quite some time. "No, you don't."

"See what I mean?" noted Archie as Phineas gave a distasteful huff. "No respect at all, always back talking, wallowing in self-pity, never—"

"Enough, Archie," Dumbledore said, keeping his eyes on Harry, who still refused to look directly at him. "There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry. On the contrary, being able to feel such as this is your greatest strength."

"My greatest strength?" Harry repeated in disbelief, finally raising his head to glare at Dumbledore with heated, infuriated eyes, white-hot anger flaming inside of him. How _dare_ Dumbledore claim to know how he feels? _How dare he?_

"You haven't got a clue," Harry stated, his voice shaking as much as his hands. "You don't know…"

"What don't I know?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?" Harry snapped.

"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man. The pain is part of being human—"

"THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE HUMAN!" Harry roared, grabbing the instrument from the nearest table and flinging it across the room so hard to shattered into hundreds of pieces on the floor, causing the portraits to yell in fright and anger. "I DON'T CARE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE—"

"You do care," Dumbledore said quietly, sorrowfully. "You care so much you feel as if it will end you."

"I—DON'T—CARE!" Harry bellowed as he gripped the table and smashed it to the floor, along with everything on it.

"Yes, you do. You have now lost your mother, father, and the one person you cared for and loved more than anything in this world. Mia—"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Harry yelled. "DON'T YOU DARE SAY HER NAME! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I FEEL! YOU—YOU—"

Harry could feel his emotions boiling up inside of him to a dangerous level and he felt the need to be away from there. He wanted to run, run as far away as he could and never look back, to leave behind this pain and torture forever. With a cry of anger, he kicked over a small crystal lantern that was nearby and then turned back towards the door, wanting to escape. Yet when he tried to pull the handle once again, it was still shut tight. He turned back to Dumbledore, breathing heavily, his chest heaving.

"Let me out," he said.

"No," Dumbledore replied simply.

"Let me out," Harry repeated in a low, cold voice.

"No," Dumbledore said again. "Not until I've had my say."

"You—until you've had—I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!" Harry shouted, his anger flaring up again. "I don't want to hear anything you've got to say!"

"Yes you do, because you're not nearly as angry with me as you should be," Dumbledore argued. "There is so much that needs to be explained, so much that, as I now know, should have been explained to you a long time ago. Harry, it is my fault that Mia is gone. If I just had the courage to talk to you sooner, this never would have happened."

"What are you talking about?" Harry said. "It doesn't matter what you say now because it's too late! Mia is dead and it's my fault!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, something broke inside of Harry, making the pain intensify and he let out a strangled noise as tears suddenly spilled from his eyes, blurring his vision and making it hard to breath. Having finally said it out loud, it made it all real, and it was more than he could bear and nothing he did now could take it back.

"Mia's dead," he said through his sobs. "She's dead…she's _dead._ I fell for Voldemort's trap and she paid the price for it. It's all my fault, if I had just listened—made sure it wasn't a trick…I can't. She cared more than anybody, at one point she was all I had! She promised me she would never leave me— _she promised!_ It hurts too much, I can't take it anymore. If this is what you call love, I don't want it! The more I care, the more I lose! I couldn't save her. I—I killed her…"

Harry let out another loud sob as his body fell back against the office door. He slid down onto the floor, brought his knees close to his body and placed his elbows on them as he gripped his hair and continued to cry his eyes out, feeling utterly lost and hollow. The pain was eating away at him, but he knew he deserved it. He let Mia come with him on a wild goose chase, and because of him, she was gone. He will never see her again.

I'm sorry, Mia. I'm so sorry. Harry continued crying, his tears falling onto the floor beneath him, and he barely noticed when Dumbledore came over towards him, bent down beside him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, his blue eyes shining with great sadness. Harry didn't have the strength to push him away, his furious tirade leaving him exhausted.

"I'm so sorry, Harry," Dumbledore whispered, a single tear falling down his cheek. Harry's shoulders shook and he wanted to curl up somewhere just to be alone. He didn't want Dumbledore's apologies. What he wanted more than anything was for Mia to be here with him, to tell him she was fine and everything would be okay. But that wasn't going to happen…ever. There was silence as he sat there, the tears never ceasing and Dumbledore staying by his side, never saying a word but keeping his hand on Harry's shoulder as a means of comfort. Another minute or so went by before Dumbledore spoke again.

"Harry," he said. "This was most certainly is not your fault. The fault is mine, and mine alone. Obviously I didn't know Mia as well as you, but I'd like to think I knew her enough to know she wouldn't blame you in the slightest. I know nothing I can say will make up for this loss, and I won't have you thinking that. But I owe you a long overdue explanation for why this has happened…"

However, before Dumbledore could continue or Harry had the chance to accept or decline his explanation, the fireplace once again it up with the green flames and in the next moment Kingsley Shacklebolt came hurrying through. The man stared wildly around, and he seemed a bit out of breath, as if he ran some way to get here. When he caught sight of Dumbledore and Harry on the floor he walked towards them, looking very anxious and bursting with news.

"Albus!" he exclaimed urgently. "Albus, I've come to tell you-I've only just been informed…you went after Harry so fast, we didn't know where you'd gone—I had to get past Fudge and the Aurors, I got here as fast as I could…"

"What is it, Kingsley?" Dumbledore asked.

"There—there was a heartbeat," Kingsley replied, as if he couldn't believe the fact himself. "One we realized, Remus rushed her to St. Mungo's right away. They may have to run some tests, but if they were able to treat her quickly…"

Harry lifted his slowly, bringing his tear-stained face to meet Kingsley's face, his heart moving again for the first time in a long while, while Dumbledore stared at Kingsley with a shocked and hopeful expression.

"What?" he breathed.

"She's alive, Albus," Kingsley said, although he kept his eyes on Harry add he spoke. "Mia is alive."

RemusPOV

 _ **Earlier, in the Department of Mysteries…**_

Remus couldn't believe this had happened…he just couldn't. His mind was almost numb with shock and grief with what had just taken place and he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and pretend it was all a bad dream. But it wasn't. It was all real, and staring down at Mia Thatcher's lifeless body was proof of that. She was lying so still on the floor, her skin ghostly pale and the blood on her face as red as ever. Neville was on his knees next to her, tears running down his face as he mourned for his friend. A part of Remus was so enraged, so hateful at the fact that this sweet girl was killed in cold blood just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Damn it, why did she and the other children have to come here? Why didn't he and the Order get here sooner? Another part of him was so incredibly sad and hurt, knowing that the blank face he was gazing down at would never smile again. He had been a part of many Order meetings where the topic of a second war was inevitable, but it killed him that there was yet another child casualty, one who was so very dear and beloved by almost all who knew her, even him. Remembering the devastated look on Harry's face when she fell to the floor made Remus flinch, and he was very worried. Even though Dumbledore had went after him, Remus was worried that Harry may just be filled with enough rage to do something he would certainly regret. He only hoped Dumbledore will be able to stop him.

"Remus."

Remus looked over to see that Sirius was coming to stand next to him, holding his side where Bellatrix's hex struck him. He was staring down at Mia, his face white and looking just as grief-stricken as he felt.

"Remus…is—is she…"

Remus didn't answer, not sure if he would be able to speak. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Sirius must feel at the moment. Sirius and Mia had developed a certain type of bond or fondness of each other, starting from when he had been on the run two years ago, and she opened up to him in dog form, and did all she could to help him be free. Remus knew he cared a great deal for the young girl, and knowing that she died saving his life…he could only imagine what was going on through his mind. Taking a breath, he bent down next to Neville, who was still crying.

"Come on, Neville," he said gently. "Let's get you and the others out of here."

"We can' leab her," Neville sniffed, wiping his face.

"We won't," Remus promised. "Someone…someone will be here to take her away soon. Here, come on up now, I'll—"

All of a sudden, Remus stopped talking, for something had made him freeze in his movements and he fell absolutely silent. There was a strange sound in his ears, something that made something snap in him, something like…hope. He turned his head over towards Mia, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Probessor?" said Neville.

"Shh," Remus instructed. There was a few seconds that passed by before Remus heard it again and the hope in him flared even higher. Moving quickly, but carefully, he tenderly lifted Mia's upper body up off of the floor, and just as he saw Harry do before, he pressed his ear to her chest, praying to hear it again. It was faint, extremely faint to a point where someone with normal hearing wouldn't be able to pick it up. However, due to his condition, his senses have always been above average and he would be able to make sure. He waited with bated breath until finally, he heard it.

 _Thump…..thump….thump…._

 _Sweet Merlin._ Remus raised his head away from Mia's chest, completely dumbstruck and yet a surge of such happiness and relief spread through him, along with a sense of stupidity. How did he not notice it before?! They've wasted so much time already!

"Remus?" said Sirius.

"She's alive," Remus whispered, looking up at him. "She's alive!"

"What?!" Sirius gasped. "But—how—"

"I don't know, but there's a heartbeat, and it's very weak. We have to get her to the hospital, now!" Remus exclaimed. Making sure to be very careful, he gathered the girl in his arms and stood to his feet, cradling her. Just then Mad-Eye came limping over to them, holding the side of his head, which was bleeding a little, and trying to place his magical eyes back into its socket.

"Sirius, the Aurors are on their way down," he grumbled. "You need to get out of here, now, or you'll be in Azkaban within the hour."

"Mad-Eye, Mia's alive, I have to help get her to St. Mungo's," Sirius told him.

"No Sirius, he's right, you have to go," Remus urged. "I'll get her there, I promise, just go!"

Sirius looked positively torn. He wanted to stay and help Mia but he knew what would happen if he did. With great reluctance, he agreed, after making Remus promise to keep him updated. Then Sirius and Mad-Eye made their way up the stairs quickly to get out of there, and just as the door closed behind them, another one opened at the top of the opposing stairs, and a group of Aurors came streaming through, all of the with bewildered looks on their faces.

"Merlin's beard!" one of them exclaimed. "It's true! They're all here!"

"Gather them all in the middle," one man with a salt and pepper beard ordered. "No one leaves this room without—hey, who are you? Where do you think you're going?"

The man had stepped in Remus' path as he was trying to climb the stairs to take Mia out of the room.

"This child has been severely injured, I need to get her to St. Mungo's," Remus replied hastily.

"I can't let you—"

"If you don't get out of my way, she will die!" Remus all but shouted at the man. "Move!"

Without waiting for a response, Remus shoved past the man and continued on his way, shouting over his shoulder for someone to tend to Neville and Luna. Remus moved as fast as he could, charging through the door that led into the circular room with the blue candles. As per usual, once the door was shut behind him, the room started spinning again, but Remus called out for the exit and a second later the correct door stopped in front of him, opening itself. Wasting no time, Remus hurried out of the room and arrived in the hall where the golden lifts were. Within the next few minutes, he had managed to ride one all the way up to the Atrium, where he could see more wizards swarming it, and he could see Kingsley speaking with Fudge up ahead.

"Kingsley," Remus said as he drew nearer.

"Remus? What—"

"Kingsley, you have to alert Dumbledore," Remus panted. "Mia's alive, I heard a heartbeat, I'm taking her to St. Mungo's—"

"Good gracious!" Fudge said, alarmed at the sight of Mia in Remus' arms. "What has happened to this child?"

"There's no time to explain, Minister, she needs medical treatment right away," Remus replied, shifting Mia to get a better hold on her. Fudge gawked at this for a moment before coming to his sense enough to call over a witch and told her to assist Remus in getting through the fireplace. The witch took one look at Mia and then rushed off to the nearest one, taking a pinch of the Floo Powder from the mantle and throwing it in, calling out the address of St. Mungo's. Remus thanked her before he rushed forward and stepped into the green flames, hoping the journey won't do any more damage to Mia. Once he was engulfed by the flames, he held tight to Mia while they spun around in an seemingly endless circle, moving swiftly pass other fireplaces in a whirlwind of colors, but it didn't last very long. Remus soon found himself coming out of a stone fireplace and he found himself in the polished white halls of St. Mungo's main floor, where the usual receptionist was sitting, directing people on where to go.

"Help!" he called. "Please, help me!"

"Sir, if you need direction, then you'll have to wait in line with—oh my!" the witch gasped upon seeing Mia. "What has happened?"

"She was hit with the Reducto jinx, the Bombarda spell and _Incindio_ ," Remus informed her. "At least one of her legs is broken, she hit her head badly, and she covered with burns. There's a heartbeat, but it's faint."

The witch immediately waved her wand and she conjured a piece of paper out of thin air. The paper folded itself into the shape of a howler letter and she gave it instructions before it took off down the hall, zooming between other Healers. She called one of them over to help, also conjuring a stretcher.

"Healer Bloom, this child needs to be taken to the Fourth Floor, immediately," she told him.

"What happened?" Healer Bloom asked as he helped Remus lay Mia down on the floating stretcher. Remus told him of Mia's injuries while Healer Bloom took his wand and moved it over Mia's body, which glowed a faint white color except for certain areas, which were a bright red. Those areas consisted of Mia's entire abdominal area, her left leg, her head, hands, and her chest. Healer Bloom's eyes widened in concern.

"It's a miracle this girl's breathing," he muttered. "Are you a relative, Mr…

"Lupin," Remus said. "No, I'm not."

"I need to take her up to Spell Damage for treatment," Healer Bloom said.

"Can I go with her?"

"Yes, but you'll have to wait out in the corridor," Healer Bloom replied. "We have to hurry, she doesn't have much time."

Remus nodded as they started moving her down the hall, and he looked down at Mia. He reached over and took hold of her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"Hold on, Mia," he muttered. "Hold on."

 **Please review, let me know what you think.**


	24. The Sun and the Mist

**Oh my…I can't believe it. This is the end of the fifth book! How is this even possible? How? I'll tell you how, it's because of all the support, love and encouraging words from all of my wonderful, incredible readers! I mean it, you guys are the reason I keep going, because knowing how many people love my stories and ideas mean the world to me, more than you'll ever know. It's hard to imagine that when I started this series I as just a college freshman with a crazy common idea in her head for a fanfiction and just wanted to see if it was any good. Now, years later and after so much hard work and time put into this, I'm almost done with only two books left to go!**

 **I just want to take a moment to thank you all again for your support, especially those who have been with me from the very beginning. I know my updates can be horrible most times, and lately I've been giving out more cliffhangers, haha. But through it all, you guys still favorite/follow/review, and that's amazing.**

 **Now as I said, this is the last chapter for "You Were Always There: Part Five," I'm sorry if some of you guys find that this isn't a very good place to stop but it's good for me, and once you guys read the first chapter of the next book, you'll understand why. I don't know when exactly I'll have the first chapter of the next book up, but I'm going to do my new plan of writing out at least three or four chapters beforehand before I post the first one, and I'm not planning on starting it until after the holidays. I'm sorry for making you guys wait so long, but I honestly just need a little break and the holidays are a sad time for me, so I probably won't be up for writing much anyway. But I promise one New Year's come around I'll have started to first chapter, and hopefully it won't take me too long to type up enough chapters to start posting. In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and just keep an eye out for "You Were Always There: Part Six." Wow, part six…I'm still shocked, hahaha!**

 **I really hope you guys like this chapter, and please review to tell me what you think! Love you guys, I'll see you in the next book! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter are not mine.**

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Sun and the Mist

MiaPOV

 _The first thing that Mia registered in her mind was that she was warm. So very nice, and warm. It was enough to make her snuggle whatever she was lying on, which was very soft and she let out a soft sigh of content. She felt a gentle breeze ruffle her hair and despite her best efforts, she felt herself becoming more awake, and more aware. A low moan escaped her as she curled tighter into herself, not wanting to leave her peaceful slumber, no matter how good the breeze felt against her bare skin…_

 _ **Wait…my bare skin?**_ _Mia's eyes slowly and reluctantly fluttered open and what she saw made them widen as big as saucers and become very still. Moving slowly, Mia sat up to see that she was laying down on luscious green grass that felt more like a comforting mattress than anything else, gently tickling her whenever she moved an inch. Also, to her great embarrassment, she realized that she had no clothes on whatsoever. Her face burning bright red, Mia used her arms to cover her chest, wishing that she had something to wear. Then, as if some unknown force heard her, a simple white dress along with matching robes appeared next to her, folded neatly on the grass. Mia wasted no time in taking the dress and slipping it over her head, the material like satin as it fell over her. Once she had it on, she pulled on the robes as well and then carefully stood to her feet, her legs feeling a little wobbly. When she was upright, she took a moment to stare around at her surroundings._

 _She was standing in the middle of a very familiar playground, complete with swings, a slide, monkey bars, tunnels, and benches along the sides. It is the same playground she and Harry would come to all the time during the summer holidays, only it was more kept up than normal, with beautiful flowers and bushes all around, with the soft grass in place of the dirt and wood chips, the equipment shining with fresh paint as though it had just been built, the slide gleaming silver in the light of the beaming sun, which was the source of the warmth Mia was feeling. Mia had never seen the playground look so beautiful and it made her smile. She turned her gaze upwards towards the sun and she closed her eyes for a minute, letting it shine upon her face, warming her up from her head to her toes. She didn't know what had happened to the playground, but she had never felt so at peace before. It was as though she didn't have a care in the world, and she could live out the rest of her life standing there, soaking up the beautiful rays of the sun. Opening her eyes, Mia looked ahead of her to see a nearby hill, where the light of the sun was at its brightest, glowing so wonderfully. Wanting to be where that marvelous light was, Mia took a couple steps towards it, wondering what could be on the other side._

 _"Not so fast, Sweets, you may not want to go there just yet."_

 _The sudden voice made Mia stop right in her tracks, her whole body freezing where she stood. Shock and disbelief crashed through her as her mind registered why that voice sounded so familiar. It couldn't be…could it? She has not heard that voice in months, but she wouldn't forget it in a heartbeat. Not getting her hopes up, Mia rotated on the spot, moving her gaze away from the sun and to the person who had appeared out of thin air right behind her. A choked gasp left Mia's mouth and her eyes instantly began watering with tears as she looked upon the old woman who was standing there, wearing a lovely pink dress, her gray hair pulled back some and still framing her face perfectly, her matching eyes shining with tender care and standing up tall, not slightly hunched like the last time Mia had seen her. Her lips trembling, Mia started walking towards the woman, hardly daring to believe it._

 _"Aggie?" she whispered, a tear managing to make its way down her cheek. "Aggie!"_

 _Without a second thought, Mia rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Mrs. Brugger, hiding her face in her shoulder and crying so hear tears were falling onto her dress. Mrs. Brugger chuckled lightly and returned Mia's hug, stroking her hair with one of her hands and holding her close._

 _"Oh, I've missed you, Mia," Mrs. Brugger murmured into her hair. "It's all right dear, there's no need to cry."_

 _"Aggie," Mia whimpered. "I've missed you_ _ **so much.**_ _I thought I'd never see you again."_

 _"I never truly left you, Mia," Mrs. Brugger said to her. "I've been watching over you for quite some time."_

 _The two of them spent another minute or so hugging each other before they slowly pulled apart, with Mrs. Brugger smiling kindly at Mia, placing her hand on her cheek to wipe away her tears. Mia just stared at her for a moment, thinking about what she had just said. Mia knew that Mrs. Brugger had passed away some time ago now. But, if that was the case, then why was Mia seeing her now?_

 _"Aggie, where are we?" Mia asked. At this point Mrs. Brugger's smile faded a bit and her face took on a more solemn expression._

 _"What is the last thing you remember before you woke up, Mia?" she said. Mia went quiet as she tried to remember what had happened before she found herself in this place. A lot of it was a strange blur, but what she could remember was a battle in a weird place, with lots of lights flying this way and that. The more she thought about it, the more it came back to her, and a deep frown was set into her face._

 _"Sirius," she said. "Sirius was in trouble. We were all at the Department of Mysteries. They wanted the prophecy, and Bellatrix…Bellatrix was going to kill Sirius—"_

 _Mia stopped herself short, her eyes going wide and her mouth dropping open as a horrible realization struck her in that instant, making her legs feel as if they were turning into jelly. Everything suddenly came back to her in a giant flood, filling her with so many memories and emotions she didn't think she could handle it all at once. She remembered everything…the trick Voldemort played on Harry, running from the Death Eaters who wanted to steal the prophecy for their master, the battle that took place between them and the Order, and seeing the look Bellatrix had given her when she stopped her from killing Sirius. Mia's face morphed into hopeless grief as she remembered all the curses Bellatrix had flung her way, one right after the other, leaving her no time to think, let alone try to defend herself against them. The terrible pain she had felt from those injuries were still so fresh in her mind and it made her body shake, recalling how broken and weak she had felt. She remembered the blood in her eyes, the ringing in her ears, and the sound of Harry's devastated cries as she faded out. After what seemed like forever lost in her own thoughts, Mia raised her eyes to Mrs. Brugger's, once again welling with tears._

 _"Aggie. Am…am I dead?" Mia asked in a quiet voice._

 _"No," Mrs. Brugger replied. "But you're not far from it, though, sweetheart."_

 _"But…how…I don't understand," Mia said, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion._

 _"Come, let us take a seat so we can talk," Mrs. Brugger suggested, gesturing over to the closest bench. She led Mia over to it and had her sit down, with Mia's head still in a daze. Once the two of them were sitting, Mrs. Brugger turned towards Mia, taking her hand and placing it in her lap._

 _"Mia, right now we are in_ _ **your**_ _place," she explained. "You obviously have a strong connection to this place, and right now it is your in-between."_

 _"In-between?" Mia repeated._

 _"Yes," Mrs., Brugger said with a nod. "You see honey, at this point you have two choices. Either you can go over that hill towards the sun or you go back through the mist."_

 _"What mist?" Mia asked. Mrs., Brugger pointed over Mia's shoulder and the young girl turned enough so she could see that further down that path that would normally lead back to Little Whining, there was a great thick mist that was gathering near the end of the slope, obscuring everything and anything from sight. Just looking at it made a cold shiver go down Mia's spine and for some reason the mist instilled a bit of fear within her. Absentmindedly, she moved closer to Mrs. Brugger, never taking her eyes off of it._

 _"What's in there?" she said._

 _"The path back to the world you knew," Mrs. Brugger told her. "It's not an easy one to take, and it would take all your courage to get through."_

 _"And where will the path over the hill take me?"_

 _"On," Mrs. Brugger said simply. Mia brought her eyes back to her, the fear still clutching at her chest in an uncomfortable manner._

 _"It's all right to be scared, Mia. Going back can be a scary concept for anyone—why go back to uncertainty, pain, strife and endless questions when you have the sun shining so brightly down on you with the promise of carefree peace awaiting you? It takes a great deal of will and strength to choose either one. You have a choice Mia, which is more than most people have, and I would hate to see you lose out on the life you could have. Besides, I don't think that boy will be able to function properly without you."_

 _"You know about us?" Mia said, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly._

 _"Are you kidding me? I have been waiting to give you the biggest 'I told you so' of the century," Mrs. Brugger answered, a gleam in her eyes as she smirked at her. "And that's not the only thing I'm interested in. So…a witch, huh?"_

 _Mia could feel her cheeks start to go red again and she bit her lip sheepishly._

 _"Are you mad at me?" she asked._

 _"Of course not! Goodness Mia, I could never be mad at you for being special like I always knew you were. I understand you had reason not to tell me, I might have thought you were even more batty than me, and that's saying something," Mrs. Brugger pointed out as she took hold of Mia's other hand as well. "But you could be the battiest hag the world has ever seen, and I would still love you dearly. I really have missed you so much dear, but I don't want you missing out on your life just so I can see you again. You have so much to give, and I know there's still so much you need to do. So many people love you, more than you know, and even though the choice is ultimately yours, I want it to be the choice you know is best for you."_

 _Mia was silent as Mrs. Brugger spoke, absorbing her words carefully and mulling them over in her head. What can she do? Her life, her family, her friends were all through that mist, waiting for her, but…she was scared. She was scared of what she would have to face when she returned. So much pain, sorrow, and cruelty. Did she really want to keep going through it, when she could have a chance at peace? To never be hurt again? As she was mulling over her options, there was a sudden sound that reached her ears. Puzzled, Mia looked over her shoulder over at the mist again and she was surprised to hear a faint voice coming from it, barely more than a distant whisper, but she still managed to make it out. It was a voice she would know anywhere, a voice that she would never grow tired of hearing, a voice that always made her heart flutter and a smile to light up her face even in her darkest times._

 _"Mia…Mia…come back to me…"_

 _"Harry," Mia whispered, her heart clenching at the sound of his voice, an aching longing building up inside her. She listened as he kept repeating her name and she eventually looked back at Mrs. Brugger, fresh tears in her eyes._

 _"I have to go back," she muttered. Mrs. Brugger only smiled at her before drawing her in for another hug._

 _"I wish our time together didn't have to be cut so short," the old woman said, her tone thick with emotion. "But keep faith, Sweets, no matter what. And don't forget that I will always be with you. All you have to do is think of me, and I'll be there beside you."_

 _Mia sat there in Mrs. Brugger embrace for a long moment before they finally drew away from each other. Mrs. Brugger helped Mia to her feet and took her face in her hands, smiling with such care and adoration._

 _"I'll miss you Aggie," Mia said._

 _"So will I, dear," Mrs. Brugger said. "But Mia, before you go, there's one last thing. There are some people here that would really like to meet you."_

 _"What do you mean?" Mia asked her. Mrs. Brugger just kept smiling at her as she took her hands away from Mia's face and moved over to the side, allowing Mia to look behind her. Indeed, there were more people in the playground now, two to be in fact. They seemed to have appeared in the shimmer of the light of the sun, and the second Mia set her eyes on them, she felt as though she had been struck by lightning and she was sure she was hit with the Full Body Bind. Her hand immediately began to sweat at the sudden appearance to the two newcomers and she was sure her heart was exhilarating inside her chest, while her brain was screaming at her that this just couldn't be happening. The couple was standing in a sort of radiant glow, smiling at her. She had seen them only once before, but that was years ago in an enchanted mirror although nothing about them has changed since then. Were it not for the different eye color, she could have sworn the man in front of her could be Harry, with the messy black hair, glasses, and facial features that were simply uncanny. He stood beside the woman, holding her slim hand as she beamed at Mia, her green eyes shining brilliantly and her dark red hair framing her fair, heart-shaped face in long tendrils. Oh dear God, this cannot be happening!_

 _"Hello, Mia," the woman greeted kindly. "We've been waiting a long time to meet you."_

 _Mia was face-to-face with James and Lily Potter._

…

HarryPOV

 _"Mrs. Darling screamed, and, as if in answer to a bell, the door opened, and Nana entered, returned from her evening out. She growled and sprang at the boy, who leapt lightly through the window. Again Mrs. Darling screamed, this time in distress for him, for she thought he was killed, and she ran down into the street to look for his little body, but it was not there; and she looked up, and in the black night she could see nothing but what she thought was a shooting star…"_

Harry paused for a moment in his reading as he glanced over towards the bed for what must have been the hundredth time in the past fifteen minutes, but it was to no avail. Mia was as still and quiet as she had been fifteen minutes ago, not moving and inch except for the painfully slow, steadily rise and fall of her chest. She had been propped up against the pillows for some extra comfort, her pale face peaceful as she slept on, completely oblivious to the world around her, in what the Healer's Referred to as a "Magical Coma," so to speak. From what Harry had gathered, it was much like when Mia had been petrified along with Hermione in their second year, but this time it wasn't as if she was frozen. She had suffered severe injuries in the Department of Mysteries, including terrible burns and internal bruising that was going to take a while to heal, even by magical standards. Due to the impact of being hit with so many catastrophic curses one right after the other along with having an extremely bad blow to her head, Mia had been in her coma for the past week. The Healers say it's a miracle that she had survived and while they were doing all they could to make sure she's comfortable and give her potions that can make up the nutrients in food and drink, the rest would be up to her. Healer Bloom said she had to fight in order to wake up, although every day it was sure to be a struggle due to her condition.

Harry sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, as he had spent every day with Mia in St. Mango's since she was admitted. It saddened him beyond belief to see her like this, bruised up, wrapping in bandages and seeing all kinds of potions shoved down her throat while the matrons rubbed different balms on her skin to help with the burns. Harry remembered all too well the shock and dumbstruck feeling that had come over him when Kingsley had arrived at Hogwarts and told him that Mia was alive. At that point he didn't care what else Dumbledore had to say—he was up on his feet in the next instant and through the fireplace before anyone had the chance to stop him. Dumbledore had followed close behind him with Kingsley and it was because of his Headmaster that he was able to make it up to the fourth floor, although he was forced to stay in the waiting area where he had found Lupin pacing. All at once Harry had pelted him with questions, asking about Mia. Was she all right? How bad were her injuries? Was she awake? How were the Healers treating her? The frantic fear that overtook him made him restless and it took both Lupin and Dumbledore to calm him down enough to take a seat. Dumbledore himself had talked with the Healers, gathering all the updates he could about his young student, and the next few hours were nothing but waiting, setting Harry on edge even more.

Yet the very worst of it was when Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher arrived at the hospital. They had burst through the door to the waiting lounge, with Mrs. Thatcher as pale as death, her eyes horribly red and puffy, with a panicked look about her, wringing her hands together so much her knuckles were white. Mr. Thatcher, however, looked enraged, the blue eyes he shared with his daughter ablaze but glistening with unshed tears, his lips pressed into a thin line as he held his wife to him. He did not shout or yell, but asked what had happened to his daughter in a voice of deadly calm. Dumbledore had approached them to speak with them, but Harry couldn't find it in himself to even meet their eye. The shame and guilt he felt in that moment was unbearable, and he couldn't face the parents of the girl who was so very close to being on her deathbed because of him. The people who had cared for him since he was small, opened up their lives and arms to him the second he and Mia became friends, and was the closest thing to family he had trusted him with their daughter, and he failed. He didn't know exactly what Dumbledore said to them or how long it took, but he didn't care. Harry just sat there, his head down, his shaking hands on his knees, and his eyes burning. It seemed like eternity when Healer Bloom had entered the room, and nearly everyone looked at him with batted breath.

"Your daughter is stable, for now," he had said to them. "We were able to patch up her head and heal some of the damage inflicted from the Bombarda curse, but I'm afraid she still has a long way to go…"

Harry listened as Healer Bloom explained in detail of Mia's coma, and he didn't notice Mr. Thatcher come over to sit next to him until the man placed a firm hand on his shoulder, squeezing it tightly. No words were said between them, but nothing needed to be—or could be—said in that moment.

So now they were here, a week later, and while Mia' injuries were improving, she still showed no signs of waking up. Mia had been placed in a private room along a more calmer ward in the hospital, and Harry strongly suspected that Dumbledore had something to do with it. The only ones who were allowed in there besides very close friends and family were Healer Bloom, who was in charge of Mia's care, and Matron Sienna, who tended to Mia for however long she would be here for. Everyone preferred Mia's condition and precise location to be kept on the low for a while, so the less people who knew, the better. The most frequent visitors had been Harry, of course, the Thatchers, Hermione and the Weasleys. Both Hermione and Ron had been driven into a panic when they had gotten wind of what had happened to Mia in the Ministry, and from what Harry had been told, they both tried sneaking out of the hospital wing at Hogwarts where they had been recovering since their injuries weren't nearly as bad. Unfortunately Madame Pomfrey caught them and forced them back into their beds. When they were finally well enough to come over to St. Mungo's, Hermione was in tears while Ron refused to leave Mia's side and even went as far as to adjust Mia's blankets and pillows every once in a while.

"It's a bit cold in here," Ron had mumbled to them in a slightly quivering voice, hiding his face from them. "Have to make sure she's warm and comfy. That's what my mum always does."

From this point on it was just a terrible waiting game that was pulling on everyone's nerves. Right now Harry was alone in the room with Mia, as Mrs. Thatcher had gone to get a cup of tea while Mr. Thatcher was at home getting some sleep with Brian, as the man had also been over every day to see Mia. He had spent the first couple of nights at the hospital, always by his daughter's side, and he probably would have stayed if Mrs. Thatcher hadn't firmly told him to go home and rest. Healer Bloom had suggested talking to Mia, even though she couldn't hear them. He had had experiences in the past where it actually helped the patient. Harry honestly didn't know what to say, so he had settled for the next best thing and asked Hermione to bring Mia's old copy of Peter Pan that she had kept in the dorm room at Hogwarts with her the next time she came back. It was Mia's favorite childhood story, and many fond memories were associated with the book. Therefore Harry started reading to her, just as they used to do when they were little, glancing up every once in a while hoping to see her make some sort of movement, no matter how small. Were it not for the physical marks of her injuries, she could have appeared to be only sleeping. Sometimes when he was alone with her, Harry could feel his eyes burn a little, just when he thought he didn't have any more tears to shed. Closing the book, Harry placed it beside him as he reached forward and took hold of Mia's hand, gently tracing the back of it with his thumb.

"Mia," he whispered softly. "Mia, I know you're hurting right now, and I know what the Healers say. They say…they say there's a chance you won't wake up. But I can't believe that. I won't. I need you to fight Mia, we all need you to fight. Please don't give up. We all need you…I need you. Please, Mia. Mia, come back to me. You promised me you wouldn't leave me, remember? You promised me, and I don't care how selfish I sound right now. I need you to keep that promise because I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you. I don't think I could bear it."

Harry squeezed Mia's hand tighter and stared fiercely into her face, willing her to open her eyes and look at him, to listen to him.

"I can't lose you too. Come back to me, Mia…please…"

…..

MiaPOV

 _"I think we might have broken her, Lils…"_

 _"James, you're not helping."_

 _Mia could do nothing but stand there open mouthed and wide eyed as she stared at her boyfriend's parents, her muscles completely frozen and her expression dumbstruck. Mr. Potter came forward and waved his hand over her face before turning back to his wife, looking very concerned and worried._

 _"This is bad," he said. "Am I really that ugly?"_

 _"Honestly, James!" Lily said in an exasperated tone. Their tiny banter seemed to snap Mia out of her daze and she gave her head a fierce shake as well as pinching her arm to make sure she really wasn't dreaming._

 _"Wha…h-how…" she stuttered. "M-Mr. and Mrs. Potter…"_

 _"Oh good, she can still talk," Mr. Potter said cheerfully, a relieved smile on his face. "I knew my handsome face couldn't have scared her off."_

 _"You're impossible," Mrs. Potter stated with a fond eye roll._

 _"Yet you still love me," Mr. Potter reminded with a wink. Mrs. Potter shook her own head as she came forward towards Mia, offering a warm smile._

 _"I'm sorry Mia, sometimes I'm worried my husband's head isn't screwed on just right," she said. "But anyway, it truly is our pleasure to finally meet you, we've been waiting for quite some time now."_

 _"Tell me about it, and before anything else is said, I have to say bravo on knocking out that greasy-haired git in third year, he really had it coming—"_

 _ **"James!"**_

 _"Okay, I'm done love, I swear!"_

 _Despite the situation, Mia was able to let out a breathless chuckle, a weak smile forming on her lips._

 _"How are you here?" Mia asked in an almost awed voice._

 _"Well, we know what happened to you, and we really wanted to make sure you were all right," Mrs. Potter replied, a worried crease on her forehead. "Whether you had the chance to go back or move forward."_

 _"And more importantly, we wanted to say thank you," Mr. Potter said, taking on a more serious expression and his words sincere._

 _"Thank me? For what?" Mia said._

 _"For being there for our son," Mr. Potter answered. "Mia, when we died, we were inconstant worry for Harry. We understand why he had to go to Surrey, but we couldn't bear the thought of him being all alone. Without Remus…or Sirius…"_

 _Mr. Potter's voice trailed off a bit at the mention of Sirius, and it seemed as though the words were caught in his throat as he tried to keep his composure. Mia suddenly realized that if they were able to somehow see her and Harry, then James Potter would have seen the fate of his best friend. She couldn't even begin to imagine the horrible feeling of watching someone you consider a brother be locked away in hell on earth because you had put your faith in the wrong person. Mr. Potter's hazel eyes seemed a little brighter and he took a deep breath through his nose as his wife placed a hand on his shoulder._

 _"But when you came along, we were able to have some real hope again for the first time in so long," Mrs. Potter continued. "You were our angel Mia, and nothing we can say could ever express our gratitude for you for being there for Harry for all these years. You were the friend he desperately needed in his life, and you always made sure that he was never alone. Because of you, we knew that he would be all right, even when he would go to Hogwarts for the first time."_

 _"And now it's even better because he finally got the courage to ask you out," Mr. Potter said with a smug look towards Mrs. Potter. "I called it, of course. We Potter men are irresistible."_

 _"I managed to avoid you for a while," Mrs. Potter pointed out with a raised eyebrow._

 _"But in the end, you couldn't resist the charms. Seriously Mia, you are the best thing that could have ever happened to him, and besides that fact that you always helped him, defended him and stood by him…we can't thank you enough for just_ _ **loving**_ _him."_

 _To empathize his point, Mr. Potter came over to her and shocked Mia by giving her a gentle hug, his arms engulfing her for a moment before he pulled back with a beaming grin, ruffling her hair a little._

 _"You really are great for him," the older man noted. "I really wish we could have been there for the two of you growing up together. I would have teased Harry mercilessly about it, because I know that kid has fancied you for years. And thanks for being there for Padfoot for me, too, that old dog is more trouble than he's worth."_

 _"He misses you," Mia said softly. "Him and Remus both do, so much. I just hope they both made it through okay at the Ministry."_

 _"Oh they did. Trust me Mia, it takes a lot to bring a Marauder down," Mr. Potter told her. "Just keep an eye on those old coots for me, okay?"_

 _Mia nodded as Mrs. Potter came over and also enveloped her in a tender embrace, reminding Mia of the ones her own mother would give her. She closed her eyes as she hugged the woman back, wishing more than ever that Harry could have had the chance to be with them. They had only just met and Mia could already tell how much they loved their son and even in death, they were still watching over him. When she and Mrs. Potter separated, the woman placed her hand on Mia's cheek as she leaned forward and kissed the top of her head, staring at her gently._

 _"I'm so happy we finally got to see you," she said. "You have to go now, Mia. Everyone's waiting for you."_

 _"Okay," Mia said. "It was an honor to meet the both of you…I see Harry in you so much. I'll tell him you said hello, I promise."_

 _"No, you won't, dear," Mrs. Potter countered, her smile turning sad. "Because you won't remember this."_

 _"What? I—I won't?"_

 _"It's better this way, Mia," Mr. Potter said. "You shouldn't dwell on what awaits you in the end. You need to focus on the life you will live until then. Go on now, you should get going."_

 _"Come, Mia," Mrs. Brugger said as she came to stand next to Mia, who jumped at the sound of her voice. For a while she had forgotten that Mrs. Brugger was still there. The old woman took Mia's hand and started to lead her away from the Potters and the sun towards the swirling mist down below. Mia gave a small wave to the Potters over her shoulder, trying to plant their smiling faces into her memory, not wanting to forget them, or Mrs. Brugger. Once Mia and Mrs. Brugger came to the edge of the slope that would lead down into the mist, Mia felt the familiar fear nip at her and she turned to look at Mrs. Brugger, her eyes starting to well with tears again._

 _"I don't want to say goodbye, Aggie," Mia muttered. "Not again."_

 _"I love you, Sweets," Mrs. Brugger said, tucking Mia's hair behind her ear and tracing her cheek. "I will always be with you. Always."_

 _After one final hug between the two of them, Mia faced the mist and with a deep, shuddering breath, she started making her way down the slope, her hand slipping from Mrs. Brugger's as she went. Forcing herself not to look back, Mia was soon enveloped in the mist and her bare feet moved across the grass while she traveled further into it. The whispered voices she had heard earlier started out as faint, but the deeper she traversed through the mist and away from the sun, the louder they became. Before she knew it, the mist was very thick on all sides, trapping her and causing the fear to escalate. The only thing that kept her moving was the voices, calling to her and whispering to her. With her face set, she continued heading towards them, feeling a little cold and certain areas of her body were becoming sore. Knowing what this meant, Mia broke out into a jog, her heart beating faster as the soreness got worse and her body started shivering. Up ahead, she could her one of the voices, so clear in her ears and make her legs move faster._

 _"You promised me you wouldn't leave me, remember? You promised me…"_

 _"Harry," Mia said, the silver color of the mist starting to fade away into black, quickly engulfing her in shadows. "Harry, I'm coming!"_

 _"I need you to keep that promise…I can't lose you too…come back to me Mia, please…"_

 _"I'm here, Harry," Mia whispered, her eyes suddenly feeling so heavy as she started to slip away. "I'm here."_

 _"I love you."_

…..

Pain. That was the first thing that came to Mia's mind as she found herself slowly coming out of the frightening darkness that surrounded her. There was so much pain and aching in her body it almost made her way to cry. Her senses became more alert and aware, and while she could tell that her eyes were closed, she could still hear what was going on around her. There was silence except for the shuffled movements of something next to her and from what she could feel, her body was laying on something relatively soft. As the feeling started coming back to her, she started moving the fingers on her left hand with great difficulty, as they felt very heavy, and she thought she felt the material of bed sheets beneath her skin. Also, there was something latched onto her right hand, something warm. While her mind started to regain its consciousness, Mia tried moving the fingers on her right hand, with little success. However, it seemed to stir whatever it was that was holding it, because she heard the shuffled movements again and a loud gasp. She suddenly felt something stir beside her and something warm pressed against her face.

"Mia? Princess, can you hear me? Mia, open your eyes baby, open them for me."

 _Dad?_ Mia used all the strength she had and after what felt like forever, her heavy eyelids began opening and she was tempted to shut them again due to the fierce light that was somewhere above her. She wasn't sure exactly how long it took but she was finally able to get her eyes open at least halfway and from a brief glance, she could make out that she was in a small room that was lit by the sunlight coming in through the small window off to the left and the warm object pressed against her face was actually hand. Slowly and painfully, she moved her head over until she caught sight of a pair of bright blue eyes that matched her own. An overwhelming feeling swelled up inside of her and she could feel her eyes start to water instantly.

"Mia!" the owner of the blue eyes cried out, leaning forward to press multiple kisses on her head and cheeks. "Oh thank God, thank God!"

"D—Da…" Mia tried to say, but her throat was so terribly dry and hoarse, making her wince in pain and a couple tears to slide down her face.

"Shhh, shhh, don't talk princess, save your strength. You're going to be all right sweetheart, I promise. Molly! MOLLY! Get the Healer, quick! She's awake!"

"Oh!" exclaimed another voice that Mia knew all too well. "Oh thank the stars, Mia! I'll get Healer Bloom here right away!"

Mia turned her head over to where Mrs. Weasley's voice was, wanting to see the Weasley matriarch, but she was only able to catch a glance of the woman running out of the room with her bright red hair whipping behind her. However, there was someone else entering the room as she was exiting. It was a rather tall man, with white hair and beard that was so long he could tuck it snugly into his belt, wearing bright yellow robes with a matching wizard's hat on top of his head. Twinkling blue eyes shone behind half-moon glasses and he gazed at Mia with the outmost joy and relief, his wrinkled face pulled into a smile and looking very close to crying.

"Welcome back, Mia," Professor Dumbledore said quietly. "Welcome back."

 **Well, what did you guys think? I know this chapter was a little shorter than the ones I usually do, so I apologize for that. And I'm sorry if it seems a little rushed towards the end, it's getting late and I'm very tired right now, I just wanted to make sure this was done so I can give you guys something good to wake up to. Don't forget, I'm taking a short break for the holidays, and I'm going to write out three or four chapters for the next book before I start posting them. I'll see you guys soon!**


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